Harry Potter and the Green Snake of Slytherin
by Ethel
Summary: Complete! When Avara von Argentum transfers from Durmstrang to Hogwarts in 5th year, things start to change at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. By trying to find out more about her, Harry Potter will have to face his own past (Dark!). Please review!
1. The Supper

DISCLAIMER  
  
Following story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Avara von Argentum, her family and the other background characters are mine.  
  
SUMMARY  
  
Who is Avara von Argentum? When the girl with unfathomable green eyes enters Hogwarts directly in fifth year, things start to change at the school of witchcraft and wizardry. By trying to find out more about her, Harry Potter will have to make hard choices and face his own mysterious past.  
  
But Dark wizards have forged other plans for him...  
  
WARNING #1: This story deals a lot with dark feelings, treachery and complex emotional situations; it does not follow a traditional "moral" path. Thus, if you have problems with one or more of these topics, don't read it.  
  
WARNING #2: I am French. As such, my syntax constructions may appear a bit awkward. Please be indulgent to me, as we are dealing here with my first English fic. I've particularly well polished the plot, hoping it will make up for eventual language mistakes :) Also feel free to rate and review it, I'll keep improving it.  
  
***  
  
THE SUPPER  
  
==========  
  
  
  
Near the small town of Silberberg in Germany, most people used to spend their spare time in the forest, collecting mushrooms or wandering for hours in this quiet, intimate, yet singular patch of birches and cypresses.  
  
But very few of them had noticed the old wooden sign that stood at the very end of the forest, maybe because one couldn't read anything useful on it. It looked like time had completely washed out most letters, except for two or three of them. Children playing hide-and-seek nearby had managed to decipher "A.G..." and perhaps "O" near the end of the sign, but that was it. And yet, nobody had been tickled by curiosity strongly enough to get to know more about that sign.  
  
Today was May, 31st. Renatus Troomveld had decided to arrive the day before in Silberberg, spending the night in a small but cosy guest house. It was important for him to have all the time necessary today to go for a walk in the forest. It would help him empty his mind about the thoughts that had been haunting him steadily for weeks.  
  
After pacing for more than three hours between the dark green and silver trees, he finally found the narrow alley that led him to the wooden sign he was after.  
  
"Aha, here we are again" said Troomveld.  
  
He withdrew something looking like a wand from his brown raincoat and aimed it towards the sign. "Apparecium!" he whispered in the right tone. The ancient letters started to appear one by one, revealing what had been hidden to the profane eye for decades. Once the words were complete, they began to glow in a shimmering, silvery light. An arrow appeared at the right end of the sign.  
  
The landscape around Renatus seemed now completely different. There were seven similar alleys around him, crossing each other in a star-like fashion. The sign then started spinning like crazy, then it finally stopped, the arrow pointing precisely in the direction of one of those seven roads.  
  
He put his wand back into his coat and started walking down the alley, wondering what his old friends were like, after such a long time.  
  
***  
  
Arsenius and Vinea had been living in this house for over fifteen years now. Actually, the house was the former castle of Silberberg, but the village people thought that it had been swept off the landscape after the WWII bombings. Both of them really enjoyed the House and the fact that only a chosen few knew about it. Maybe that's why they spent a lot of time casting several Pulchra Moda spells on it to make it look cosy and fashionable. Vinea just had to think of new wallpaper and furniture and there it was, for her greatest pleasure.  
  
Tonight was indeed very important for Arsenius and Vinea. They had not heard any news from their old friend Renatus for over fourteen years and it was as if he had come back to them as suddenly as he had vanished into the big nowhere. In the letter he had sent them using his very personal owl, Renatus had asked if he could join them for supper tonight to discuss "important matters". Of course, both of them were really excited to meet him again and they had not hesitated for a second.  
  
Though their daughter's birthday also appeared to be on May, 31st, the young woman reckoned it would be quite an interesting evening if the family spent the evening with Troomveld, for she had heard a lot of intriguing things about him. She was very mature for her age: she used to spend a lot of time in the forest reading books, and enjoyed discussing for hours about the meaning of life and other fundamental topics that seemed of no interest to any other fourteen year-old girl whatsoever. And she had developed frightening skills too.  
  
Now she was lying on her bed, lost in her thoughts, when suddenly someone knocked on the heavy oak door. "So, Feebee, what are you waiting for? Go and open that door! Right now!" she said with her deep and crystalline voice.  
  
Feebee the house elf let the guest in and asked politely "Will Renatus Troomveld allow Feebee to take his coat, please?" The girl went down the ivory staircase and silently watched the tall, good looking man that had entered her house. She felt very strange, almost sick; it was as if she knew him, but couldn't remember anything. Her head was aching.  
  
Renatus Troomveld was there, standing in the hall, holding a wooden cane in his hand. Something in his whole attitude denoted a very complex, intriguing personality. Arsenius welcomed his former schoolmate with warmth, and they started talking about the good old times while heading for the lounge. It seemed like that they had not seen each other for only one week.  
  
Later that evening, Vinea entered the lounge and invited them to follow her into the dining room, which was exquisitely decorated—that new "Scintillatus" variant of the Pulchra Moda spell was by far her favourite—the cathedral-shaped roof of the room was lit like a midsummer night's sky, with hundreds of shimmering stars that made it look alive.  
  
Troomveld sat down, followed by Vinea, Arsenius and their daughter, and they began the meal with the delicious asparagus soup that Feebee the house elf had served them.  
  
During the first minutes of the supper, all of them remained strangely silent. The room was filled with awe and respect; tt looked as if they were all trying to guess each other's deepest feelings.  
  
Arsenius was a very tall, raven-like man with jet-black hair and deep green eyes, his body was slim and aristocratic, he looked as is if he were suspicious about everything, but that only meant that he was trying to fathom whether something was good for him or not. His wife Vinea could have been mistaken for his sister, if she had not those typical purple eyes which happened to be found only in women in her family, for three out of seven generations. For the rest of her family, blue eyes were the rule of thumb.  
  
Suddenly Renatus broke the silence and started talking to the girl:  
  
"Happy Birthday, young Lady", he said.  
  
"Thanks, Renatus," she answered, "after all I heard about you, I thought this could be an enriching evening for both of us"  
  
"So, you are now leaving Durmstrang?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, I'll have to spend some time with Mudbloods, I guess... Although some professors are said to be really good, that Snape for instance"  
  
"Ah yes...Snape. He was a pretty good Slytherin", Renatus sighed.  
  
"We had a good time there too, remember, but you know, it was best for her she went to Durmstrang for the first four years. Some basics you just don't learn anywhere else", Vinea added blinking towards Troomveld.  
  
"And...How's Malachius?" Renatus then asked  
  
The awkward feeling that was making the girl uneasy since Troomveld entered the house seemed to vanish. It was as if she had found the key to everything that had been unclear in her life until that very moment. She had never told anyone about Malachius before. Her deep green eyes, which usually looked like her father's, were now filled with that particular glow she had noticed a few times in the mirror at some very important stages of her life.  
  
"Oh he's fine. We'll meet him later if you wish" she said.  
  
"It would be a pleasure!" Troomveld said, and whispering to her parents he added: "She's perfect".  
  
Both Vinea and Arsenius understood the precise meaning of his words. But they did not expect their daughter to guess what it was all about too. And she knew.  
  
***  
  
After taking a piece of the delicious green apple cake and a cup of wizard's coffee, Renatus and the girl walked up the large ivory staircase and stepped into her private room. It was decorated in shades of green and silver. Even the flames inside the fireplace were shimmering green and filled the room with a subtle warmth. Renatus complimented her about her good taste while fetching a small vial filled with a quicksilver-like Potion out of his pocket. They both sat in the comfortable dragon-leather armchairs that she had been offered for her 13th birthday and lifted a toast to celebrate her upcoming school year at Hogwarts.  
  
In the opposite corner of the room, Malachius had almost fallen asleep, but he knew both of them would be here tonight. After discussing important matters for about two hours, Renatus Troomveld and the girl woke him up. 


	2. Crossing Alleys

CROSSING ALLEYS  
  
===============  
  
  
  
Today was the last day before the beginning of the new school year at Hogwarts.  
  
Harry, who had turned fifteen years old on July 31st, was taking the train to London, his first Muggle-train journey actually. It was quite different from the old, cosy, black and maroon train that had been taking him over the past four years to the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here no-one was wearing anything looking like a wizard robe; no aged Lady would be pushing her trolley through the wagons to sell Chocolate Frogs or Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. No steam would be coming out of the chimneys either. Still, he was really eager to meet his friends Ron and Hermione in less than an hour from now.  
  
As always, staying at the Dursleys' for two months had been a nightmare and he was pleased that the Summer Holidays were almost over. He had left his bedroom early that morning after Hedwig had brought him an interesting piece of mail: his two closest classmates from Gryffindor wanted to go with him buy some 5th-year-wizard supplies in Diagon Alley.  
  
***  
  
The usual meeting place for young and old wizards prior to a trip to Diagon Alley was a picturesque pub called the Leaky Cauldron, which one could easily mistake for a... normal pub... from the outside. Ron and Hermione had arrived a bit earlier and were sitting at a wooden table, drinking Pumpkin juice and arguing about the use of books in one's practical magical experience.  
  
"Hey Harry!" Ron shouted, as he saw the black-haired boy with the famous scar enter the pub.  
  
Harry ordered some Pumpkin juice too, and then the three of them walked towards the backyard, where the pub's secret doorway to Diagon Alley was located. Two shops in the lane seemed to be a source of great tumult; the first one looked like a huge newspaper kiosk. Everyone wanted to buy a copy of the new daily paper "The Wizard Times". It had been rumoured that the Daily Prophet would have to face strong competition and there it was, printed in smaller, magical fonts. People had had enough of Rita Skeeter's voyeurism and sensational tidbits. Chief editorialist Thomas Quill was there in person, explaining that his paper would deal with the facts "just the facts".  
  
Harry bought his copy of the "Wizard Times" too, and they began to read the news; "More unexplained Muggle deaths" was the cover title. Since the recent rise of Voldemort, Muggles and Muggle-born Wizards had been suffering the most mysterious and painful deaths around the country. Every day, more and more Death Eaters were joining the Dark Lord, hoping he would reward them with great powers.  
  
"Not a bad paper. Scary, but well written! I hope Skeeter loses her job", said Hermione. Ron and Harry nodded silently.  
  
"Quality Quidditch Supplies" was the other shop where mostly young wizards kept buzzing around like flies. The three Gryffindors recognized Lee Jordan amidst the crowd, who was desperately gasping in front of the new Thunderstorm XP broomstick. It was even outstanding the Firebolt that Sirius Black had offered to Harry last year, supposedly the best broom ever. Craftsman of the new broom William Dohrs had summed it all: it was "easier, faster, and stronger". Amen.  
  
Talking to Lee would not be a good idea because he would come up with the detailed feature sheet of the broom. It was rather time to go to Gringott's to withdraw a few Galleons to buy some stuff for the upcoming school year. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy was there, and Lucius Malfoy, his father, was there too. That was too many Malfoys at a time, so they decided to stay behind, trying not to be seen.  
  
Harry heard Draco say "This will be our welcoming present for her, I'm sure she'll like it".  
  
Malfoy and his father left Gringott's, heading towards Knockturn Alley, which was known as the place for Dark Arts supplies of all kind.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione emptied half their pockets at Flourish and Bott's, where they had to buy the 5th year books ("Advanced Transfiguration" by Charles Changeall, "The Subtle Art of Potion Making" by Severus Snape, "Powerful Counter-Curses Explained" by Bertram Backlash, and a few others including the "Comprehensive List of Quidditch Moves" that was not exactly part of the programme).  
  
After coming across Neville Longbottom, who had been offered by his grandmother an Unmeltable Cauldron at 3C's (Calderon's Cauldrons Craftsmanship), they walked towards Ollivander's to get Ron's broken wand repaired.  
  
Ollivander was the best wand maker ever. His shop was ingeniously located at the crossing of Diagon and Knockturn Alleys, so that all wizards, white and dark, would find there the wand of their dreams. Oh, there had been attempts to open competitive shops, but none of them had been lasting more than one single, pitiful month.  
  
They were about to enter the shop, when Harry stopped his friends: Malfoy and his father were coming back from Knockturn Alley, followed by a young girl who was carrying big, heavy totes from Borgin & Burkes and a paper- covered thing that seemed to be a small cage. The girl was taking her time, looking bemused at the shops around her, talking sometimes to Draco Malfoy, sometimes to his father. Harry, Ron and Hermione were watching them, still a few feet away. The Malfoys entered Ollivander's but the girl stayed outside for a moment.  
  
Apparently, she was looking in Harry's direction. Harry could not precisely tell whether she was looking at him or through him, but he looked back. Although she was still too far away for him to notice all the details, he was definitely bluffed by her cool attitude, her long, black, well-combed hair and her limpid-green eyes. Everything in that girl seemed to be thought out and peaceful. Quite Malfoy's opposite, actually.  
  
Speaking of the devil, Draco Malfoy came out of the shop and told her "Come in, I think we found the right one for you!" She followed him inside in a fluid fashion, as if she were hovering a few inches above the ground.  
  
Harry was still looking at her, when he felt something hard punching his ribs.  
  
"Ouch!" he shouted.  
  
That something was Hermione, who had been trying to bring him back to reality, calling his name several times with no success whatsoever.  
  
"Hey Harry, are you alright?" she asked.  
  
"Hmm... Yeah" he answered, still looking in the girl's direction.  
  
Hermione followed his eyes and she finally understood what had been fascinating him for the past five minutes.  
  
"Are you staring like that at...HER?" she said, perfectly knowing the answer Harry blushed, unable to say anything.  
  
Then he turned to Ron and asked him, whispering "Who's that girl with the Malfoys who just entered Ollivander's?"  
  
Ron shook his head, puzzled, "No idea, never seen her before"  
  
"She was previously with them in Knockturn Alley, why don't we find out?" said Harry. Hermione had heard what they were saying and interrupted them "you should stay out of Malfoy's business anyway. Knockturn Alley is known to -"  
  
But before she could finish her sentence, Ron and Harry left her behind, and hid themselves behind Ollivander's door. They heard Draco Malfoy say:  
  
"An exquisite wand you have here, Avara. I hope you accomplish great things with it".  
  
The raven-black haired girl answered in a deep, crystal-clear voice "Thanks, Draco. I'm going to ask Mr Ollivander a few more questions about it. Why don't you go to the Quidditch shop with your father, I'll be right back".  
  
Harry's mind was now full of diffuse thoughts "Aha.'Avara'. Never heard that first name before. Sounds nice. Is she's Malfoy's girlfriend? No, no, no. She can't be"  
  
Draco Malfoy just came out of the wand shop and noticed the three Gryffindors "Ha! Potter, you've had a hell of a luck last year at the Triwizard Tournament. I hope you don't feel guilty for Cedric Dig..."  
  
"SHUT UP, MALFOY", Hermione, Ron and Harry shouted together.  
  
"Oh we'll have plenty of time to discuss it tomorrow. Don't draw such a face, Potter! You're still alive after all", he smirked with his drawling voice.  
  
A few minutes later, the girl called Avara went out of the shop with what looked like a wand case and a very ancient spell book. She stopped a few seconds in front of Potter, smiled at him, and headed for the Quidditch shop.  
  
Still puzzled about her, Harry felt totally useless when Ron asked him for advice for a new wand. The old one was so damaged that it was impossible to repair. Hermione and Mr. Ollivander were of greater help, and Ron finally bought an eight-inch, oak wand, filled with the heart string of a Norwegian dragon.  
  
Hermione really felt like lecturing Harry "But really, where do you think you are! Harry, you are acting like an eight year old boy" but Harry did not pay attention.  
  
***  
  
The three of them walked out of Diagon Alley. Ron's elder brother Bill Weasley had been waiting for them inside the pub.  
  
"This way, please, Ladies and Gentlemen" he said, showing them the way to his London flat, were they would be having dinner and spending the night until next day. This was convenient for all of them, as they would be close enough to the station to take the Hogwarts Express at 11 o'clock on platform 9 ¾.  
  
In the meantime, Avara would be spending a delightful evening at the Malfoy's House, asking Draco too many questions about Hogwarts. 


	3. A Newcomer at Hogwarts

A NEWCOMER AT HOGWARTS  
  
======================  
  
  
  
Hagrid was waiting on the platform in Hogsmeade Station to welcome the first year students as usual. He appeared to love that part of his Hogwarts job, it was always interesting to meet new faces, especially those that were impressed by a "big-boned" chap like him.  
  
The train entered the station, and the students, wearing their wizard robes, were getting off the train clumsily, trying to avoid dropping their bulky belongings. They had brought a large variety of magical pets: owls, cats, rats and even toads. Their huge trunks, if one put them together, contained probably several tons of books. And the Quidditch players were also carrying longish, paper-covered objects that were nothing else than their personal broomsticks.  
  
Whereas the 2nd- to 7th year students were already wearing clothes with the colours and crest of their Hogwarts Houses, the first years did not know yet into which House they would be sorted, and as such, their cloaks were a mere boring black.  
  
Some students had noticed the tall girl with long black hair who was sitting alone with a pile of books in her own compartment and they were quite intrigued about her; A first-year boy wanted to know if she was in first year too, and she had answered, as detached as she always was, without any signs of annoyance in her voice "You ask too many questions, young man".  
  
Avara had asked Draco Malfoy if he could leave her alone in the compartment. She liked those intimate moments, where she could find her innermost self and try to make all the pieces of her mind's puzzle fit together. It was also the only opportunity for her to concentrate and get a deeper understanding of the Hogwarts books : Durmstrang had such a bad reputation among the other Wizard Schools that she wanted to make sure she did not look too "evil". She spent a remarkable time reading the Defense Against Dark Arts books, trying to find a good motto to express her new feelings towards the Dark Side.  
  
In the meantime, Professors Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were having a discussion in the Headmaster's office about the newcomers. They always tried to pick out those students that were particularly talented. It was all written down from the beginning by the Hogwarts Magical Quill, which wrote each newborn Witch or Wizard into a huge red Register, alongside with useful information about their predispositions.  
  
For instance, the Quill had written the following about Harry Potter "Against the Lord of Darkness, he will show his greatness" and it had mentioned about Neville Longbottom "Forgets almost everything, but won't harm anything".  
  
Their attention had been caught by a handful of first years with interesting skills but there was nothing in the Register about the new fifth-year student.  
  
And the reason was that she had been sent to Durmstrang first, so the rival school's Quill was the one that wrote down the memorabilia about her...in Durmstrang's Register.  
  
Dumbledore asked McGonagall :  
  
"Do you think she'll be a good Hogwarts student? Will she be able to make friends here?"  
  
Minerva replied:  
  
"You know that owl Igor Karkaroff sent me. One could not imagine a more dithyrambic recommendation letter"  
  
"Ah? Really"  
  
"She was the best Durmstrang student Karkaroff had ever met in his long career, he felt so sorry she had to leave the school. She had also great social skills, I think she will be making friends faster than you can imagine."  
  
"But why did she have to leave?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"Remember her parents, Albus? They became very wealthy, and they want her to spend some time around the world, discovering other cultures... according to Karkaroff's letter"  
  
Looking at her pocket watch, Minerva McGonagall realized with horror that she was almost late to welcome the new students: she had less than ten minutes spare time before the beginning of her speech. She rushed out of Albus' office "Sorry Albus, I really have to go" and hurried down the massive staircase, before it even thought of transforming itself.  
  
Professor McGonagall held her usual welcome speech in front of the entrance hall. She explained the Houses, the Sorting, House Points and insisted upon good behaviour at Hogwarts. The new students were impressed, though actually paying more attention to the rumours that started circulating among them. Some first years had been talking to Avara and were telling other students about her.  
  
But it was nothing compared to the murmurs in the Banquet room, where all Hogwarts students were sitting, talking about the new arrivals. The noise originating from the fifth-year banks was loudest.  
  
"Is that true?"  
  
"A new student coming directly into fifth year?"  
  
"I've heard it was a girl, and a rather attractive one", said Lee Jordan from Gryffindor.  
  
"Really?"  
  
On the Slytherin bank, Malfoy was remaining silent, as he knew Avara would let him know what "big trouble" means if he did otherwise.  
  
Dumbledore asked for silence, and the new students finally entered the room in their all-black robes. There were free places on each of the House banks. Every year, the Hat sorted almost the same number of students into all Hogwarts Houses. At the centre of the podium, in front of the professors' table, they could see an old, three-legged wooden stool, and on top of it, a yet older wizard's hat, dirty, torn and patched.  
  
Minerva McGonagall asked Professor Dumbledore for a few welcoming words. After warning the students about all the lethal dangers that were awaiting them in the Forbidden Forest and in the Restricted Areas of the school, Albus added the following:  
  
"Oh yes, and this year is a special year for Hogwarts too, because it's the first time a student joins our school in fifth year."  
  
He paused consciously, then said "And now, let the Sorting begin!"  
  
A mouth-like rim opened at the bottom of the old patched hat, his upper part folding as if it were an origami-mask. Eyes and nose were clearly to see. The hat cleared his "throat" and started to sing:  
  
"A thousand years ago  
  
The four greatest wizards of all times  
  
Built a school for students to go  
  
That would be world famous.  
  
They were united but different  
  
So each one decided  
  
To build his own House  
  
And the students were divided  
  
According to their talent:  
  
In Gryffindor the bold and brave  
  
Who would defend their ideals  
  
Until the grave  
  
In Hufflepuff the sweet and kind  
  
Who were also known  
  
To be pure of mind  
  
In Ravenclaw the clever ones  
  
Whose wisdom was respected  
  
As it would hurt no-ones  
  
In Slytherin the sly and ambitious  
  
Who were capable of great things  
  
By being so malicious  
  
So come forth  
  
And let me tell you  
  
Which house is the best one for you  
  
Ha ha ha!"  
  
"The Sorting Hat seems to be in a great mood today" Ron whispered to Harry, while looking at the bunch of new students.  
  
Professor McGonagall rolled out her parchment and started calling the students in alphabetical order:  
  
"Servana Abbott", a tall, red haired girl with big blue eyes stepped forth to the Sorting Hat. She sat down on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on her head. "Hmm...Let me see. You belong to...Ravenclaw!" and the girl walked to the left bank of the room, where blue-clad students were waiting for her.  
  
Then "Gerald Ashford", a younger replica of Gilderoy Lockhart, was sorted into Gryffindor. Harry, Ron and Hermione welcomed him quite suspiciously, but after talking to him for a while, they knew he was much more interesting than his role-model.  
  
McGonagall then called "Avara von Argentum". Harry Potter had a shock, because there could be only one Avara. His heart started beating at a faster pace, and he tried to hide his crimson face from Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Gryffindor bank. "I must not faint, I must not faint" he spoke to himself in a mantra.  
  
The great hall suddenly became very silent.  
  
Every single head had turned to the podium, where a self-confident girl with scintillating, jet black hair and deep green eyes was walking steadily towards the stool. She knew she would be sorted into Slytherin, as had everyone in her family before her. It could not be otherwise, any House other than Slytherin would be a shame for her; she would have to kill herself.  
  
Murmurs started growing among the crowd  
  
"That's her!"  
  
"I knew it was true"  
  
"How does she get her hair like that"?  
  
"Wow, she looks attractive"  
  
"I talked to her," said Gerald Ashford to the Gryffindors, but no-one was paying attention to him.  
  
Avara asked Professor McGonagall politely but firmly "May I...?" and took the Sorting Hat in her own hands. Minerva McGonagall looked at the other Professors, helpless. "Mad Eye" Moody could not believe his eyes and ears. Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin, seemed to be receptive to Avara von Argentum's determination. She was really her parents' daughter, he thought. Draco Malfoy winked to her.  
  
Avara put the hat on with her gracile fingers, being careful not to hurt it. The Sorting Hat had not felt anything else than McGonagall's fingers for ages. It started talking, and his mood was even better than a few minutes ago, when he was singing his song cheerfully.  
  
"Aha. Interesting. A lot of determination, clearly. Great wits too, and a predisposition to power... But why not put you into Huffl..."  
  
"What???" thought Avara, as if she had been stabbed in the back. The students could almost hear it.  
  
"Ha! Just joking, young girl, you belong without hesitation to ... SLYTHERIN!"  
  
The green-and-silver banks in the great hall rejoiced suddenly into hoorays, clapping hands, and stomping feet. Malfoy and Snape could not hide their pride and welcomed Avara heartily, as she took a seat next to Draco on the Slytherin bank. Dumbledore was looking puzzled. Even more puzzled were the students in the other Houses:  
  
"A Slytherin, her? Who would have thought such a thing?" one could hear among the Ravenclaws.  
  
"Why didn't she want to be sorted into Hufflepuff?"  
  
"Who would ever want to be put into Hufflepuff anyway??"  
  
Harry finally opened his mouth and told Ron "Look, that's the girl we saw yesterday in Diagon Alley".  
  
Ron said "Yeah... I wonder why she has been sorted into Slytherin. That doesn't look good."  
  
Hermione did not seem to care "Well... there are lots of good looking girls in the other houses, too. Why are you so fascinated, Harry??"  
  
But Harry knew he had no rational answer to return.  
  
The sorting ceremony went on after that turmoil, and all new students were sorted into their Houses. Though the three Gryffindors were quite busy chatting together, they kept an eye on the Sorting: a blond "Mary Mistletoe" was sent to Hufflepuff, a good looking "Steven Packard" took a seat next to the other Slytherins between Crabbe and Malfoy, a very strict "Mark Teller" was put into Ravenclaw.  
  
Of course, they did pay attention each time a new Gryffindor joined their bank, among which "Carmina Woodbridge", a witty girl who sat down next to Hermione and started talking to her.  
  
After the ceremony and the traditional feast, the prefects accompanied their students into each House's Common Room. The Gryffindors were standing next to the Slytherins, because they had to wait together until the staircases stopped moving. Malfoy headed towards Potter and Weasley, followed by Avara. She was smiling at Harry in the same way she had left Ollivander's the day before.  
  
"Hey Potter! Let me introduce you my cousin Avara von Argentum. She'll be a great Slytherin, you know. Not like that bunch of dumb-headed Gryffindors like...Weasley the Weasel", he said, pointing at Ron.  
  
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, MALFOY" shouted Hermione, "Don't you dare insulting Ron in front of me!"  
  
Somehow, Harry did not exactly want Draco Malfoy to shut up. He wanted him to tell him more. But in the same time, he was furious that Avara was his cousin. "What a nightmare!" he thought. If he wanted to learn more about the mysterious girl, he would have to deal with Malfoy.  
  
And Avara was the first Slytherin he ever wanted to know better, there was no doubt about it.  
  
Malfoy said "All right, all right, we're out of here". He and his cousin headed to the Slytherin common room, grinning. 


	4. Bird of Prey

BIRD OF PREY  
  
============  
  
  
  
On the next morning, Avara woke up early. Too many thoughts were swirling through her mind and she was not the kind of person who would sleep late in the morning anyway. Looking around, she realized the silver and green Slytherin decoration in the dormitory looked like her own bedroom decoration at home. She jumped out of her four-poster, and walked on tiptoes towards the door. Lying on the floor next to her was a little green book she lifted up and put into her pocket. As she stepped out of the dormitory, she threw a glance at the small cage in the corner of the room. Her neighbours, Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson, were still sleeping like logs.  
  
It was a quarter to seven, and Avara had been reading in the patio for over one hour. Footsteps where getting louder in her direction, so she put the tiny green opus into her pocket, and made sure no-one could see her behind one of Hogwarts' heavy stone pillars.  
  
After a while, she stepped into the vast, empty hall with wooden walls and took a seat near the kitchen. As a group of three Gryffindors entered the breakfast room she thought her cousin had not been pulling her leg.  
  
Hermione Granger whispered to Ron "Eek! That Slytherin girl is there too".  
  
Ron then replied "At least she doesn't look as mean as her housemates"... Hermione had to concede it, but she still was not pleased to share their usually private breakfast space with one of the green-clad students. They were always first for breakfast and enjoyed chatting freely before the others joined them.  
  
While she seemed to bury her face, looking down to her green apple porridge - a typical Slytherin breakfast, the raven-haired girl with the deep green eyes was muttering "Attractus... attractus..."  
  
As far as he was concerned, Harry was rather pleased with the sight of having Avara in the same room for breakfast. She was sitting on the next row of banks, a few feet away from him. Strangely enough, he felt like talking to her. He stood up and said "Morning Avara, would you like to join us for breakfast?"  
  
Hermione looked at him furiously. If the killing curse had not been punished with lifetime prison in Azkaban, Harry would have died a lot of times within a few seconds.  
  
Malfoy's cousin turned back and said "Hello Harry! For sure! I'm coming over". She hovered in her green Slytherin robe towards the three Gryffindors and took a seat next to Ron, facing Harry and Hermione. She introduced herself to Harry's friends "I'm Avara von Argentum", but Hermione answered "Oh, we know that already, everyone has been watching you at the Sorting Ceremony yesterday, in case you don't know, "  
  
Avara dared not answer; she kept smiling at Hermione, thinking about all the cruel curses she could use to hurt her if she wanted to. Then she turned to Harry:  
  
"Harry I must congratulate you heartily about your victory at the Triwizard Tournament last year, you were great!"  
  
"Oh! You know about that?" asked Harry  
  
"Of course I know! Viktor came back to Durmstrang telling everyone how impressive you had been", Avara said, lowering her eyes and stressing the word "impressive" with her deep and crystalline voice.  
  
Hermione and Ron looked bewildered at each other when she spoke the word "Durmstrang".  
  
Harry almost dropped his cup of coffee too; then he went on, trying to hide the fear on his face "So...you were at Durmstrang last year?"  
  
"Yes, since the very beginning. I'm very proud of my time at Durmstrang; we had highly qualified teachers, the calibre of aehm ...someone like Albus Dumbledore, though not exactly like him"  
  
"And say, Avara, is that true what people ..."  
  
"...keep telling about the bad-ohhh-bad Dark Side of Durmstrang? Is that what you wanted to ask, Harry?" asked Avara, her piercing green eyes looking straight into Harry's.  
  
Harry blushed and felt a light pain in his neck; he did not mean to offend her. Her eyes were glooming strangely, as if they were filled with dancing green fire drops.  
  
"...of course that's true. We have Cursing and Mind Control classes, we must learn by heart the life of Lord Voldemort, and we learn how to kill, naturally" she said, waiting for his reaction  
  
Harry's face faded to grey.  
  
"Rr...really?"  
  
"No", she said bursting into deep laughter  
  
Ron and Hermione did not seem very receptive to Avara's jokes. Harry was relieved, but he also noticed that she had named Voldemort, not using "You- Know-Who", as did the ones who feared him.  
  
Meanwhile, the students had started arriving into the breakfast room, mainly Ravenclaws and Slytherins, who had double Transfiguration at eight. Harry, Ron and Hermione were surprised to see that Draco Malfoy was not followed dumbly by Crabbe and Goyle as he stepped towards his cousin. Instead, they recognized the relatively handsome boy named Steven Packard, whom the Sorting Hat had sent into the house with the serpent.  
  
"Hey Potter! Are you plotting a Gryffindor-Slytherin alliance or what? I mean, as such it would not be a bad idea, if your house was not so packed with Mudbloods! It's not like you are one of them, I told you that already…" said Draco, smirking.  
  
"Anyway, I'm in a good mood today, Potter. If you want to join us later for the break before Potions, feel free to do so" Malfoy was speaking with his bored, drawling voice, but something sounded different in him. Avara took a leave from the three Gryffindors "See you later" she said.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione did not look like finishing off their breakfast, though for different reasons. Harry still did not know what to think about Avara von Argentum. Every time she was close to him, he felt a strange sensation which he did not want to escape from. It had nothing to do with warmth, rather a crystalline coolness that submerged him all over and gave him a feeling of strength.  
  
The other Gryffindors finally came in and gathered around them, listening to Ron's and Hermione's rants about Avara. Hermione was turning her back to Harry, as if he had let the Devil in person inside the room. "But really! You should have listened to her: Harry you have been impressive" she said, mockingly "What a slimy Slytherin she is! The house elves would have to polish the floor for one whole week to wipe the slime off"  
  
Angelina Johnson said "I bet she can't even play Quidditch! It would mess her hair all over". Ron was listening with interest.  
  
It was too much for Harry, who cut in "At least, she is not ranting at people like you do! And what if there were also good elements in Slytherin?" He stood up and left, heading for the Gryffindor common room.  
  
***  
  
Professor McGonagall was sitting at her desk in the Transfiguration classroom, behind a heavy pile of Charles Changeall books. Changeall had gained worldwide fame by turning a swarm of venomous flying grasshoppers into a bridge, saving the whole town of Sydney, Australia, from a thousand horrible deaths. He then started writing down his science into books, so that Dark Forces could be fought against using the most advanced transfiguration techniques.  
  
Minerva McGonagall welcomed the blue and green students in the classroom, checking for eventual latecomers. She had been willing more than once to turn students into pocket watches or clocks, so that they would be on time.  
  
As usual, the Slytherins had taken the left side of the classroom. On the second row, one could see Draco Malfoy, Avara von Argentum, and Steven Packard. Crabbe and Goyle had wanted to sit next to Draco, but the bank was not long enough for them. Avara did not seem to be sorry for them, either.  
  
On the right side, Cho Chang from Ravenclaw was not paying much attention to page sixty-six of "Advanced Transfiguration". She had been hearing that Harry Potter and his friends had been having breakfast with that Slytherin girl.  
  
Looking sad, she kept thinking about last year's Yule Ball. "I should have accepted to be Harry's partner when he asked me off. Now it's too late…" But as she was thinking about that, she burst into tears, as she remembered the gruesome way Cedric had died. Her heart seemed to be burning.  
  
Avara, who was sitting not far from her, came closer and holding her hand, she asked softly: "Cho, are you alright?"  
  
***  
  
Harry had not been attending Herbology with his housemates this morning. Instead, he had been sleeping for an hour; it was the best way for him to escape from the Gryffindors' childish attitude.  
  
As he woke up, he remembered Malfoy's proposal in the breakfast room and reckoned it was worth a try; at least he would not be mocked up. He prepared his wand and books for the upcoming Potions class with Professor Snape, and headed towards the dungeons' entrance, which was the Slytherins' meeting place.  
  
There, three students wearing emerald green robes where chatting together, then slowly turning at him "Hey Potter, don't be afraid, we won't Petrify you", said Draco Malfoy. It was quite unusual for Harry to wander in Slytherin area; he was feeling a bit ill-at-ease.  
  
"Malfoy, I'm not afraid. At least, less than you were in the Forbidden Forest, actually". But Draco did not catch the bait. Instead, he said "This is my new friend Steven Packard. He is pure-blood and a lot cleverer than Crabbe and Goyle, which is not difficult I concede."  
  
He then added "I knew you would come. I had told you some wizarding families are better than others, I'm glad to see you finally made up your mind about it"  
  
Harry did not know what to say. He did want to stay away from the Gryffindors since this morning. Malfoy's interpretation did not sound completely wrong after all. Stranger yet, Harry seemed to enjoy talking to the three of them.  
  
Avara aimed her wand at the huge clock that was hanging above the dungeon's door and said "Quantum Horum". As the rusty hands started spinning and stopped on the "Almost Late" sign, she rushed the three boys to go down to Snape's class. She really wanted to arrive on time and make a good impression on Snape. She needed the Head of Slytherin House to play an important role very soon.  
  
***  
  
They hurried down to Professor Snape's classroom in the dungeons. The Slytherins had their own, torch-lit, secret passage to the Potions class, whereas the other houses had to walk twice as long through a dark, frightening corridor where ghouls or ghosts could attack them anytime.  
  
When they finally arrived into the classroom, Avara was pleased to see that she was not late. She had even enough time to choose a good seat.  
  
Professor Severus Snape was exactly the way she had pictured him to herself: tall, dark, raven-like with shoulder-length black hair, an aquiline nose and deep cold eyes. He was wearing a black, billowing cloak that made him kind of hover over the ground like a giant bat. He was throwing a piercing yet detached glance around him, trying to find something interesting that could give him starting material for his Potions class.  
  
He was surprised to see that Harry Potter was coming along with a group of Slytherins, and that Avara von Argentum was with them. This girl was even more impressive when she was sitting only a few feet away from him.  
  
When his eyes met Avara's, he knew that she undoubtedly had great things in mind. And suddenly it became clear to him: she had thought it all up and she was the only one who could achieve that goal.  
  
Although he did not exactly share Avara's views on the subject, Snape had a feeling of strong respect for her. He had well known her parents, fellow Slytherins who originated from one of the most ancient wizarding families and lived in Germany. Vinea von Argentum was born a Malfoy and their daughter seemed to combine the talents of both families. No wonder her cousin Draco liked her so much. He smiled innerly.  
  
As Harry Potter sat down next to Ron among the Gryffindors, Snape could hear loud murmurs echoing from the gold and red rows.  
  
"Now, now, Ladies and Gentlemen" he began, almost whispering, "Can you please tell me what could possibly be so important during this class, that you consider unnecessary to pay attention to the recipe of the Icebreaking Potion ?", his cold, soft, and cynical voice getting louder and clearer.  
  
"Miss Granger, for instance..." He was standing so close to Hermione that she could almost hear him breathe. He was tapping the back of her chair nervously with his long, thin, fingers.  
  
"Please tell us what are the two main ingredients of the Icebreaking Potion, we are listening" said Snape.  
  
Hermione had been making fun of Malfoy and Packard all the time with her neighbour Alicia Spinnet and she was unable to reward the Potions Master with an answer.  
  
"Oh you don't know? I was expecting you to lift your arm in the air like a rocket, Miss Granger! How pitiful... Thirty points will be taken from Gryffindor" said Snape. "Anyone else wishes to lighten up Miss Hermione Granger?" he then asked, grinning.  
  
Hermione looked up, ashamed that the recent developments with the Slytherins had diverted her from paying attention to the lesson.  
  
Then she was hit by the fatal stroke: Avara von Argentum raised her hand without rush; when Snape asked her, she answered calmly "Powdered Devil's root and an infusion of Dragon's tongue, Sir".  
  
Actually, the question Snape had asked was a very difficult one. He had wanted to frame Hermione with a 7th-year level question. But Avara knew her Potions well. "Exactly, Ms von Argentum", said Professor Snape, impressed. "Ten points will be awarded to Slytherin for your valuable knowledge". The Slytherins rejoiced, while the Gryffindors were asking Hermione why she could not answer the question as if she had committed an atrocious crime.  
  
***  
  
After the class, Avara asked the Potions Master "Professor Snape, I really enjoyed that class. I was eager to meet you, after all that had been said at Durmstrang... You know at least what Slytherin pride means!"  
  
Severus Snape was looking at her, his usually cold and cynical black eyes glowing with interest.  
  
"I knew that you would be coming soon, Avara von Argentum", he said, thrilled.  
  
He went on: "When I was a Death Eater, the ones who Knew kept telling in our Meetings about a girl with raven-black hair and glooming green eyes... and I know it's you."  
  
Avara was listening to him silently, the green sparks in her eyes glowing brighter than ever.  
  
"Though we chose separate ways, I can help you, Avara" he said  
  
"Severus Snape, I can feel where you stand now. But it will not be easy for you... You will have to make choices" she replied calmly using her mysterious, crystalline voice.  
  
They both remained silent for a couple of minutes. Then she asked him a question every other student could have asked: "Could you please tell me what kind of potions we will be brewing in class for the next few months?"  
  
Snape walked into his office and fetched a tiny piece of parchment entitled "Fifth year Potions Class" and handed it to her.  
  
"Goodbye, Professor" said Avara, without turning back.  
  
"Good luck, Avara" said Snape, watching her leave the classroom.  
  
She would have plenty of time to have a detailed look at the programme tonight. But now it was time to join her housemates for lunch. 


	5. Snakes

SNAKES  
  
======  
  
  
  
After all the annoyance Rita Skeeter had been causing at Hogwarts last year, Albus Dumbledore decided to cancel the school's Daily Prophet subscription and to give the competition a chance.  
  
Thomas Quill had come in person to Hogwarts and offered every student a free one-month subscription so that he could gain yet more customers.  
  
Ron, Harry and Hermione had grabbed the fresh copy they had received for breakfast and were commenting the headlines.  
  
Today's issue was mainly dealing with the unexpected Muggle deaths due the recent rebirth of Lord Voldemort. In the cover story, the journalist tried to locate the Dark Lord precisely according to the places where he had committed his last crimes. There were also some realistic moving pictures about yesterday's Quidditch match between the Chudley Cannons and the Sperrickle Sparrows, and then Ron saw the following article, on page 13:  
  
"Hogwarts enrols new fifth-year student. A quiet revolution is on its way"  
  
"Look, Harry! Your Slytherin friend is giving out an interview!"  
  
Hermione looked disgusted "She thinks she could become a prefect or something?"  
  
"Why don't we just read what she has to say?" suggested Harry  
  
"Avara von Argentum, Hogwarts' latest recruit, has accepted to answer a few questions by Randall Wilkins, our special reporter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
It's an honour for me to be able to study at Hogwarts  
  
[…] further on, I think the Houses should have the opportunity to work closer together. For example, during the double classes, I think the students from both houses should mix up. We could get to know each other better, benefit from each other's experience and hence get better results at the exams […]"  
  
Hermione asked "Do you think she's serious?"  
  
"Maybe," said Harry "It's not a bad idea after all"  
  
"Oh come on, Harry. Ravenclaws are O.K., Hufflepuffs, well, they have qualities too. But Slytherins? They'd want to turn you in, anytime." said Ron, who went on "Though I must say she is almost bearable … for a Slytherin. Too bad Malfoy happens to be her cousin. Frankly, Harry, I don't know how you…"  
  
"I don't know myself, Ron", replied Harry.  
  
Later that day, at the end of the double Charms lesson with the Slytherins, Harry congratulated Avara heartily for her courageous views in the Wizard Times.  
  
"Well, well. I hope I did not sound too self-assured and arrogant" she said, softly "I really want to make things change in a better way, you know"  
  
Harry was drinking her words. "Look, Avara, Hagrid invited me into his hut for a cup of tea, would you like to join us?"  
  
The raven-haired girl remained silent for a moment; she remembered what her parents and Renatus Troomveld had told her about the half-giant.  
  
Looking sorry, she finally answered "Harry…I don't know what's going on. I'm not feeling alright. It looks like Professor Flitwick's new charm gave me a serious headache. I'm afraid I can't come with you now."  
  
The young wizard looked disappointed. Avara went on "But I would really like that we meet tonight after dinner. I'll be in the Great Hall at 9, with Draco and Steve". The pain that started weighing on Harry's chest was relieved.  
  
"What happened to Crabbe and Goyle?", asked Harry, wondering why he bothered to care about them.  
  
"I guess the two dumbheads will have to look for another best friend or role model", said Avara with a grin upon her face that almost made Harry smile.  
  
***  
  
Harry arrived into Hagrid's hut after his daily Quidditch practice. He had taken a cold shower and changed his scarlet Gryffindor outfit for the more discrete black robe with the red collar.  
  
"Please Harry, C'mon, take a seat", said Hagrid, welcoming his guest warmly.  
  
"Why did you want to see me, Hagrid?" asked Potter.  
  
"Well Harry, it has been a long time…"  
  
"I can feel there's something else, Hagrid. Why don't you just go ahead and tell me? Do you want to hatch some new forbidden monster?"  
  
"Umm…" said Hagrid, his rough hands going through his thick beard "I shouldn't be tellin' yer that…It's none o' me business… Oh... did I say too much?"  
  
"Yes, Hagrid, I'm afraid you have. What is it?"  
  
"I was wonderin'… That Slytherin girl yeh're after…"  
  
Harry's face turned crimson red "I'm not AFTER her, Hagrid! Who told you such nonsense?"  
  
Hagrid blushed "I thought… Your friends…"  
  
"I'm not quite sure who my friends are now, Hagrid"  
  
"Well, that Avara girl…I wanted to tell you that….she's ok. She's alright." He paused, trying to say exactly the opposite of what he first had in mind "If she weren't in the House of the Snake, I'd even say she's perfect… but somehow she reminds me of someone I know… someone bad… I don't know…. It's silly, Harry, I shouldn't have said that… Maybe Hermione influenced me…"  
  
"I bet she has!" said Harry  
  
"Umm yes, forget it, young boy…" said the huge man "And honestly, her interview in the Wizard Times was pretty good too. Not that I could read it. Albus Dumbledore read it to me"  
  
That evening, Harry kept talking to Ron, not saying a word to Hermione. He did not forgive her the way she had asked Hagrid to divert him from Avara and wondered how she could be so jealous.  
  
Avara von Argentum was indeed a serious competitor for her, because she was as literate as Harry's friend and she seemed to have practical knowledge of it all, outgrowing by far Hermione who had learnt all she knew in books.  
  
The Gryffindors went down for dinner at eight o'clock. While Ron and Hermione were still finishing their pudding, Harry walked towards the Slytherin table, where Malfoy, Steven Packard and Avara were playing a game of Magical Tarot.  
  
"Hi, Scarhead" said Malfoy, smirking.  
  
"Hi, you bleached pureblood", replied Harry, knowing how he could handle Draco now. They had found a modus vivendi and were now having fun inventing all possible despising greetings. "Harry! How was teatime with Hagrid this afternoon?" asked Avara, her voice not as self-confident as usual.  
  
"Hmm…it was okay", lied Harry.  
  
Avara bent closer to him and whispered "We'll meet at midnight at the entrance of the Slytherin Common Room. I'll be waiting there", her deep voice sounding crystal clear again.  
  
"I'll be there too", said Harry.  
  
A young first-year Ravenclaw who Harry recognized as "Servana Abbott" joined the Slytherin pack and they continued their play of cards together.  
  
Walking up the moving staircase, Harry found Ron and Hermione talking to Gerald Ashford. They headed together for the Gryffindor Common Room, and Hermione spoke the password "Brave heart" when the Fat Lady asked for it. After playing a long game of Wizard's Chess with Ron, Harry told him he was exhausted and needed to go to bed.  
  
While he was pretending to sleep, Harry wondered why Avara would want to meet him so late at night. The girl was a bit weird, Ron was right, but she was also very mature and interesting.  
  
Once all Gryffindors in the dormitory had fallen asleep, Harry got out of his bed and took his father's invisibility cloak. This could be useful on the long way from Gryffindor to Slytherin, from the highest tower to the deepest vaults in the dungeons.  
  
Avara was waiting for him, in her shimmering green satin bedrobe. She was looking as detached and intriguing as always and was waving her hand telling Harry to remain silent "Shh... no-one should hear us now" Then, lowering her voice, which became almost ethereal, she said "I must show you something, Harry. It was important you came here tonight. Follow me, and for God's sake be silent". She spoke the password "Will of Power" in front of the great stone snake that was guarding the Slytherin Common Room. Its eyes starting glowing like iridescent emeralds, and the heavy stone-carved door behind its back swung open. Harry was impressed and frightened. It was the first time he was entering the Slytherin rooms. They were very different from the Gryffindor's. He was afraid that Crabbe and Goyle could emerge from the dark and attack him suddenly. Avara felt that and took his hand. They both walked on tiptoes in the direction of her bedroom.  
  
When they arrived, Harry whispered "How are we going to talk in this place?" Avara had already picked up her ebony wand. Waving it at the dormitory, she enunciated "Silencium profundum".  
  
"Just like that, she said" speaking normally again; then she added "Lumos Serpentem". A dull green light was now filling the room.  
  
"Better, isn't it?"  
  
"You Slytherins have spells…Scary…Where did you learn all that? I could need them too" Potter said, smiling.  
  
"Harry, lots of spells you just don't learn in books…" she said mysteriously.  
  
At that moment, Harry's eyes turned towards Avara. She looked as if she were scintillating in the greenish light. Her pitch black hair seemed to absorb all light around them and silvery stars where shining, scattered among her hair. It was like watching the canopy of stars in the forest on a clear summer night. Her green eyes were slowly changing, glooming with swift, green flamelets. It was as if all that green light around them had revealed her real self.  
  
Harry's eyes finally crossed Avara's and he had a shock. Amidst the greenish fire drops, he could clearly see his parents a few minutes before they died.  
  
His mother Lily was cradling him gently in her arms and his father was now facing…Lord Voldemort himself. But for the first time since he first saw Voldemort in his visions, the Dark Lord appeared to him as he really was, in his human form, not in the usual blurred way. Near Voldemort lurked an enormous snake that was ready to strike." Scared by what he was seeing, Harry came back to reality in a sudden and asked the girl "Tell me about your eyes Avara; why could I see what I saw inside of them?"  
  
"Harry," she answered smoothly "what you see in my eyes are the deepest memories hidden inside your heart. The good… and the bad. I'm glad you could see anything at all, not everyone does." "But this is not the reason why you're here," she said, "I wanted to show you that …" pointing towards the small metallic cage at the bottom of the bed.  
  
"This is Malachius, my pet snake" she said, while removing the black cloak that covered the cage "He usually wakes up after midnight" Malachius was a relatively small-sized, poisonous-green snake with expressive silvery eyes. He seemed to yawn while he was waking up.  
  
"You have pet… snakes in Slytherin??" asked Harry  
  
"The others don't" said Avara, grinning and proud. "As far as I know, I'm the only student owning a pet snake at Hogwarts. And Malachius is not your average pet snake!"  
  
She then explained he was actually a so-called Gem Snake, a very rare variety of reptile whose venom drops turned into gemstones within minutes in its master's hands, whereas they were deadly for others.  
  
Her snake could produce Malachite, a complex green stone that was, in its powdered form, a precious ingredient for some of the most potent potions.  
  
"And… where did you get it?" asked Harry, curious.  
  
"You mean him", corrected Avara "My godfather gave him to my parents when I was born. He had found him in the forest near our house" she lied.  
  
Then, her voice turned more dark and dramatic: "Malachius and I are under a strong bond. He bit me when I was a few weeks old. A drop of venom crawled into my veins. That's why my eyes are like this, Harry. I did not die. It made me stronger."  
  
Harry was fascinated by Avara's tale. He suddenly heard a soft, hissing voice behind him. He realized the snake was saying something to him in Parseltongue "Hello Harry Potter, my name is Malachius; I'm Avara's precious snake. She told me a lot about you, you know"  
  
Avara tried to help Harry relax "Don't be afraid, Harry. Go ahead, talk to him, he just wants to know you"  
  
Harry opened his mouth and a hiss came out of it "Pleased to meet you, Malachius" The snake bowed to him with respect. Avara's crystalline voice was now speaking Parseltongue too: "I knew you would like each other" she said.  
  
Harry was awestruck "You…are a Parselmouth?"  
  
The girl with the scintillating black hair nodded silently, adding "Whatever people might have told you until now, only – true – heirs – of – the – great – Salazar – Slytherin – are – gifted – with – Parseltongue, believe me" speaking each single word clearly and thoughtfully. "You have that in your blood, Harry Potter"  
  
"But…but I thought Voldemort was the last remaining descendant of Slytherin", he said.  
  
"Things are not as easy as they seem, Harry" she went on:  
  
"Voldemort is one of Slytherin's heirs; that's true. But we also descend from the Snake Lord. Voldemort wants to wipe all the others out, to get the whole power of Slytherin for himself", she lied. "That's why he's trying to kill you"  
  
Harry had been so sure that the Sorting Hat and Fawkes had proven him to be a true Gryffindor, but now he was facing doubt again. Maybe Avara was right. What if he had also Slytherin blood flowing through his veins?  
  
But at that moment, he was too upset to think seriously about all that. All that mattered was that he had finally found someone speaking Parseltongue just like him and unlike the other Hogwarts students – mainly Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs – she did not look at him as if he were Satan in person.  
  
Avara then said "You know I can't love you Harry. We stand both far above it all. But we are similar and we understand each other. This is most valuable." And she took his hand gently.  
  
Malachius hissed "Aren't they cute?"  
  
His mistress made him shut up with an ice-cold, dark glare.  
  
***  
  
At the same time, Ron had woken up sweating because of some dreadful nightmare involving huge spiders and carnivorous plants. He turned to Harry's bed but noticed that Harry was gone. Worried, he walked slowly into the girls' dormitory and woke Hermione up "Harry's missing" he said. They looked up the Gryffindor Common Room but Harry was nowhere to see. Even if he had been acting strange lately, he was their best friend and they had to look for him in the castle.  
  
With Harry's invisibility cloak gone, it was almost impossible to remain unseen in the corridors. They tried to be as silent as possible, controlling up to their breath. They were calmly heading towards the dungeons when they saw a huge, bat-like shadow hovering onto them. It was Snape, who had just finished preparing tomorrow's Potions class. He was a night figure and loved to work after midnight.  
  
The Potions Master's hypnotic presence seemed to turn their blood into ice. His unfathomable eyes were looking down on the three Gryffindors and, covering himself with his fluid black robe, he spoke in barely more than a whisper "I'm entitled to think that you have a good reason for being here, Miss Granger"…"and you too, Mr. Weasley ?" he added, poisonous.  
  
Ron answered, sparing Hermione the need to come up with a plausible reason. "We are looking for Harry, Professor. He left the Common Room without telling us about it, we wanted to make sure nothing had happened to him".  
  
Severus Snape had been thinking about Avara's plan all day, unable to tell if he approved it or not. But he told Ron and Hermione, "Don't worry, Mr. Potter is safe right now, I can swear it. Why don't you just go back to your dormitory, like you ought to?" and he added with an incredibly soft voice "And, by the way, that will be twenty points from Gryffindor…Each!". He headed towards Dumbledore's office, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze. 


	6. Moments of Doubt

MOMENTS OF DOUBT  
  
================  
  
  
  
Harry left the Slytherin Common Room in a state of utter confusion. He was now completely unsure of who he was. What if his whole life had been one huge lie? Firstly, during his Muggle childhood, and now… for the past four years at Hogwarts, where he had struggled to be sorted into Gryffindor, perhaps in vain... denying his real talents.  
  
Looking back at the gigantic stone serpent that was guarding the place, Harry thought of Malachius and Avara. He wanted to stay with them, the green snake curled around his arm, making jokes in Parseltongue, awestruck by Avara's sheer grace, mesmerized by her unfathomable shimmering eyes.  
  
She was right, it was not love they felt for each other. What was this feeling? What did she mean by "We stand both far above it all"? Then again, her eyes were also frightening; they had revealed to him who Voldemort really was… If he saw him in a crowd, he would recognize him and…kill him…  
  
Yet he was suffering of being so deeply torn. He had to get rid of this devastating feeling, immediately. Only one person came to his mind who could help him in those moments: Albus Dumbledore.  
  
***  
  
Breathing silently under his invisibility cloak, Harry stepped up erratically the giant moving staircases that led to Dumbledore's office.  
  
From behind the door, he could distinguish two voices: Albus Dumbledore's and a dark, cruel, velvet-like voice he knew all too well: Severus Snape was talking to the Hogwarts Headmaster.  
  
Unwilling to disturb the professors while they were having what seemed to be a serious discussion, Harry stayed hidden behind the door, trying to make out what they were talking about:  
  
… Mixed classes? Are you sure, Severus? …  
  
… At least give a try….  
  
… Hmm…I must admit…Ms. von Argentum's idea made its way at Hogwarts… many supporters here…  
  
… Brilliant wit… Slytherin…I myself had been thinking of mixed classes about three years ago… my past activities…not the best moment…  
  
Dumbledore's and Snape's voice became clearer as they moved towards the door:  
  
"Alright Severus, we'll give it a try tomorrow. Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs will be easier to start with."  
  
"Thank you Professor", said Snape, respectfully and he added, cynically "I hope they will at least avoid melting cauldrons this time"  
  
While Snape opened the heavy oak door, Harry walked back a few steps, as if he just had been arriving.  
  
Snape did not seem surprised to see Harry in Dumbledore's office in the middle of the night, as if he knew he had to come here. "Mr Potter… I should be normally taking fifty points from Gryffindor for your unauthorized – wandering – through – the – castle – at – night…" he paused, his voice silkier than ever "However strange it may seem, I'm in a good mood tonight, Potter… and you…seem quite upset – maybe I should go down and bring you some revigorating potion"  
  
"I'm…I'm alright, Professor", muttered Harry, as if Snape had offered to feed him poison.  
  
"Besides… your friends have already cost Gryffindor House a mere forty points… I will not be taking any points from you tonight, Harry Potter. Consider this as highly exceptional. And… of course, needless to say that I was not in Dumbledore's office tonight. Is that clear? Now goodbye…" said Snape, his voice almost threatening.  
  
"Pfew!", said Harry, knocking at Dumbledore's door in a sense of deep relief.  
  
"Harry? Why aren't you sleeping with your fellow housemates? What's happening?"  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, I am feeling deeply tormented. You are the only person I could think of seeing right now", said Harry in a feeble voice.  
  
'What is it? Tell me…" said the Hogwarts Headmaster warmly, trying to soothe Harry's distress.  
  
The young Gryffindor decided not to speak about tonight's encounter with Avara. Instead he started thinking how he could ask Dumbledore questions without telling him the whole story. Suddenly, he felt an itching pain in his scar, as if Voldemort was ready to come back once more.  
  
Harry's strength seemed to be nullified. He told Dumbledore "Professor, I… don't know… I'm just feeling exhausted and…my housemates' attitude…I don't feel like going back to my dormitory tonight."  
  
"Aha. I understand" said Dumbledore, wondering if Harry was hiding things from him. "Harry, you can stay here tonight if you wish. You can sleep in that leather couch right there… I have enchanted it so that it feels most comfortable"  
  
"Oh thank you!" replied Harry, his feeble voice almost dying. He lay onto the couch and fell asleep right away.  
  
During his slumber, he could feel the presence of Voldemort even closer. The Dark Lord was different from the man he had seen in Avara's eyes, yet Harry could not be mistaken: that sallow greenish skin and evil glooming red eyes were undoubtedly Voldemort's. He could hear his disembodied, hissing voice "I will kill you…Harry Potter… This time I will succeed… Avara is too pure for you…Stay away from her… Stay away!"  
  
Harry woke up, iced and crying: Voldemort knew that he was seeing Avara von Argentum, he was willing to break up what they had succeeded to build: a strong, deep friendship between students from different houses.  
  
Turning around, he realized that the light had been shut off and that he was alone. Maybe Voldemort was lurking in the back of the room, waiting for the perfect moment to cast the Most Unforgivable Curse at him…But he remembered that he was in Dumbledore's office, a place Voldemort feared above all and where he, Harry Potter, would be safe.  
  
He looked around for something to read, something to do… anything that would prevent him from thinking about the Dark Lord. He remembered that last time he was in this vast, circular room he had found the Sorting Hat, put it on and asked him for advice… he had already felt the thirst to know if he had made the right choice…Maybe the hat could be useful to him once again ?  
  
Harry had a hard time finding the Sorting Hat, which Dumbledore had put in one of his few empty bookcases. "Please help me" he muttered, crossing his fingers as if he were almost praying.  
  
He could feel the ancient hat come to life as he put it on his head. He could almost hear it breathe. Its leather mouth opened and spoke:  
  
"Aha… here you are again, Harry Potter, what can I do for you?"  
  
"I'm pleased to see you, faithful Sorting Hat", said Harry, flattering the old piece of cloth. "I have a few questions that I feel unable to answer myself and… I thought you might help me"  
  
"Go ahead", said the hat, "though I cannot answer any type of question… only man's deepest feelings can be explained by an old torn hat like me"  
  
"Alright, then, hat! … I can call you 'hat', can I?" said Harry, trying not to sound too serious.  
  
"Sure"  
  
"What do you think of Avara von Argentum?" asked the young wizard as if freed from a heavy burden.  
  
"Hmm… you like that girl, do you, Harry Potter?" said the Sorting Hat in return  
  
Harry remained silent.  
  
"Avara has a very strong Dark side. She is capable of evil things. Her family I know very well… I had them sent all to Slytherin and they went as bad as you can go. But young Avara seems different…and yet I cannot say why… Her heart looks pure… However, I sense a strong thirst of power. You'll have to find out who she really is, I'm afraid"  
  
"Alright", whispered Harry, not sure whether the hat had given him some useful information or nurtured his confusion.  
  
"And what about me, wise hat? Avara told me the blood of Salazar Slytherin was flowing through my veins… Is that true?"  
  
"I'm afraid she's right, Harry Potter. I was not allowed to reveal this fearsome fact to you myself. However, I also had no right to deny it if you asked me. You are one of Slytherin's heirs…" After a careful pause, the ancient patched hat went on: "And yet, you found Gryffindor's own sword inside of me in moments of despair. The Great Godric would be proud of his great-grandchild, Harry, if he had been lucky to meet you." 


	7. A Fair Game

A FAIR GAME  
  
===========  
  
  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the Gryffindor table for breakfast as usual. This morning there was a huge carrot cake, green tomato-flavoured yoghurts and… a big box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans – for their greatest pleasure. In the past few days, the atmosphere between the three of them had become tenser, especially since Harry's night in the castle, where he had learnt terrible news about his double lineage. His two friends still could not explain nor understand his recent attitude. He did not make it easy for them either, not disclosing anything about the Sorting Hat's revelation.  
  
Furthermore, it seemed that Harry was enjoying more and more to spend time with the group of Slytherins around Avara and Draco Malfoy. The mysterious girl with jet-black hair and eyes the colour of her snake seemed to gain rapid popularity among Hogwarts students… Her unconventional views in the press about education had largely contributed to her good image…and she knew her topics well: first in Potions and Defense Against Dark Arts, and always willing to help other students…  
  
Once breakfast was over, Dumbledore asked all students to stay in the great hall for a few more minutes. He had an important speech to do in the presence of the four Houses. All teachers were gathered around him, sitting at the professors' board. The Hogwarts Headmaster stood up, his purple robe adorned with golden stars, his elderly face looking solemn; one could almost sense a kind of sadness is his gesture.  
  
"Ladies, Gentlemen, may I ask for a few moments of attention, please.  
  
As some of you have already noticed, I have asked Professor Snape here – he waved at the raven-like, black-clad Potions Master on his left – to start experiencing mixed classes since two weeks. That means that students from two different Houses team up together during the class and for the homework. Well, the first results appear very encouraging: Professor Snape did not withdraw as many house points as usual from any of the four Houses…meaning…that you have been performing a better job. Congratulations!"  
  
Avara glanced at Severus Snape with her glooming green eyes, smiling at him imperceptibly.  
  
Dumbledore continued: "Thus, I have decided to extend this process to all Hogwarts classes before the end of term. Teachers willing to start now can begin immediately. If you are unsure on how to proceed, just ask Severus for advice.  
  
This modus operandi will be mandatory after the Christmas holidays: the remaining teachers will have until the end of December to put mixed classes into practice; otherwise we will have to hire new teachers. I hope this is clear for all of you. That was all. Thank you for your interest".  
  
Dumbledore and his court of professors exited the Great Hall, leaving the students' rumours fill the place.  
  
At the Slytherin table, Avara von Argentum was delighted. Draco Malfoy blinked at her, although he was not completely pleased at the idea of sharing classes with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, or worse: Mudbloods. Avara touched his arm gently to appease him: "Draco, this situation has a major advantage for you: at least, you will be able to get closer to young Servana from Ravenclaw. I think she fancies you a lot…" she said, faking innocence.  
  
"Aha…? Really?" said Malfoy, starting to sound interested.  
  
"Really. And she's a pureblood too. Just open your eyes!" She paused for a few moments, as if she had entered a deep meditation…  
  
"Dear cousin, isn't it remarkable that precisely Dumbledore opened the wound that would let the venom of Slytherin crawl into Hogwarts' veins?"  
  
"Indeed, Avara. It's amazing. You are so bright"  
  
"I shall find Harry now, Draco, he'd be much better by my side than with those pathetic Gryffindors…", she said. Her green and black Slytherin robe billowing gracefully, she stepped forwards to the other side of the Hall, where the students were still discussing Dumbledore's speech.  
  
Hermione had a hard time swallowing the news, feeling more threatened than ever "Ron, Harry, really…Who would have thought that Slytherin pest could change the Hogwarts organization so quickly?"  
  
"Please, Hermione, relax" said Ron, "The new system is pretty good, after all… We can now work with those clever Ravenclaws, or with the Hufflepuffs… There might be good elements in Slytherin too, but we'd waste too much time trying to find them – it's like finding a needle in a whole haystack!"  
  
"Maybe, Ron…" replied Hermione, feeling misunderstood "Maybe I shouldn't be feeling so upset… But it could have been my idea, you know. Why didn't I think of it before her? Of course, Ms von Argentum is sooo clever and sooo mature that I cannot compete with her. I am completely out, Ron…out!" she said, sobbing.  
  
"No, you're not" said a deep, crystalline voice behind her. "I'm so sorry that you feel this way, Hermione. You are bright, indeed…And I would like so much to know you better…but I fear it will not be possible as long as I can feel hate for Slytherin house in you… It's such a pity, I'm sure we could team up well" said Avara silkily. She turned to Harry and greeted him warmly "Good morning, Harry! Would you like to join me for a pumpkin juice this afternoon before the match? I'll bring Malachius so he can watch too"  
  
Harry smiled…She talked of her snake in such a personal way, it was cute. "Great", he said "Why don't you pick me up in Gryffindor Tower for a change?"  
  
"Great Harry, see you there at two!" replied Avara.  
  
Hermione whispered into Ron's ear "This girl is pure poison, I tell you. Mild poison, yes…but poison anyway – I'm going to the library, catch up on the Potions stuff. See you later !"  
  
***  
  
The Quidditch season had been open for two weeks; both teams had been training very hard for today's match: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. While Draco Malfoy was preparing his brand-new Thunderbolt XP, casting spells at it to manoeuvre it easier, Avara put on her most exquisite Slytherin robe on: it was a shimmering dark green which could change colour to silver in daylight. She opened Malachius' cage and let him crawl onto her arm.  
  
"Are you ready, my dear serpent?" she asked in Parseltongue. The way she was hissing and spitting was so soft that she had managed to avoid the other Slytherins' dazed glare. They knew she descended from the great Salazar but also that she was unwilling to open the Chamber of Secrets – she didn't like basilisks anyway. Thus she had gained the respect of her fellow housemates who knew she would not use her powers for destruction.  
  
After wishing her cousin good luck, Avara hid the snake under her cloak and headed towards Gryffindor Tower where she and Harry were to meet at two o'clock. Although she liked those sunny Gryffindor areas, she fancied rather the darker, more intimate, meditation-prone atmosphere of Slytherin headquarters in the dungeons…But Harry was right, a bit of change would do her some good.  
  
Harry had told Ron about her pet snake, to his red-haired friend's greatest excitement: Ron decided to sneak out for the snake behind the door of the Common Room, while Harry and Avara would be talking on the other side.  
  
Ron could easily understand why Harry liked her. She was beautiful and her aura seemed to keep growing since she had gained power at Hogwarts. He watched the tiny snake as it crawled out of Avara's sleeve and began to turn to Harry, as if talking to him. Avara did not want to run the risk of being seen as a Parselmouth by other students, so she avoided speaking to Malachius while she was out of her area.  
  
Ron muttered to himself "Too bad Hermione dislikes her so much" If he did not fear losing his best female friend he would surely have a chat with her…  
  
Avara offered Harry to take a glass of pumpkin juice at one of the stands near the Quidditch pitch. The best one was located near Professor Sprout's greenhouses; it was only open twice a month but today was exceptional because of today's match.  
  
When they arrived outside, Avara waved her wand at the grass in a delicate flick of the wrist, letting a comfortable vegetal couch appear from the ground. After telling Harry to get himself easy on the couch, she took Malachius with her and fetched two bright orange Pumpkin juices. They enjoyed their drink in the couch, pulling on their straws and talking about the events of the morning.  
  
Harry had a short chat with the snake. "Avara, I must admit Malachius is fantastic. We were just talking Quidditch and…"  
  
"Oh…that!" she said, "Yes, he's a true fan. Of course, and for good reason, he's one of the most eager Slytherin supporters… Just like me!'  
  
She took Harry's arm, he was feeling like enveloped in a soft cotton cloud, his senses almost drifting away "Harry, I feel so sad Slytherin has not won the house cup for so many years now…Actually, since you became the Gryffindor Seeker" He could almost feel her sorrow tear his heart apart "You are such a good Seeker, Harry! Too bad that you don't play in our team"  
  
"Umm yes, Avara, I'm sorry." he replied, blushing.  
  
"Hmm… Forget that, Harry! I'm being so selfish. Let's go, shall we… The match will begin soon"  
  
They walked down the stairs hastily and while Avara headed for the Quidditch pitch and the stands, Harry joined the Gryffindor team in the changing room.  
  
There, he put on his scarlet Quidditch robe. Andrew Bexley, the team's new Captain was a tall, good looking blonde guy who was overexcited and proud of his team's recent victories, and thus particularly good at motivating the others players. He asked them "Now, Gryffindors, what do we want?"  
  
The rest of the team replied single-voiced "De – feat Sly – the – rin!"  
  
"By how many points?" asked Bexley.  
  
"One – hun – dred! Yeah!"  
  
Harry thought "Sorry Avara, but these are the game's rules". When they got ready, they headed towards the corridor that would lead them to the pitch.  
  
In the meantime, the Slytherin team was preparing for the match too. Draped in green robes, they looked still a bit more imposing than the Gryffindors. The team was led by Vincent Falke who had replaced Markus Flint after his graduation at the end of the past school year.  
  
Falke's theory about Quidditch was very pragmatic: the purpose is to make Snitch-catching easier for Slytherin, and horribly difficult for the opponent team, whatever it takes.  
  
He did not want the team to waste time on Chasing and other useless activities like handling the Quaffle and such. Draco Malfoy was his favourite player: swift, precise and sometimes ruthless, yes…  
  
Both teams entered the field, greeted by waves of acclaim from the students- filled stands all around them. Turmoil was louder from the Gryffindor and Slytherin areas. Hermione had finally come back from the library to attend the match; she thought there was nothing better than a good Quidditch game to help her relax: she could easily picture Avara's face after Gryffindor's blatant victory.  
  
Next to her Ron, Hagrid, Neville Longbottom and Gerald Ashford were waiting for the match to begin. They had brought a huge red and golden velvet banner where one could read "Go Gryffindor!" in magical characters.  
  
In the box on their left side, Avara was chatting with Steven Packard and Professor Snape. She did not play Quidditch, having good reasons not to, but she enjoyed watching.  
  
Watching Steven wave a large silver-and-green snake-decorated flag, Malachius whispered to his mistress in Parseltongue "Hmm… I could model for Slytherin if I wanted to"  
  
"Why not, Malachius, I'm sure you'd become world famous" said Avara mockingly "but now enjoy the match, you need your strength back, young fellow"  
  
They heard Madam Hooch's whistle, meaning the Quaffle had been released and the match had begun. Steve took Avara's arm and told her "Look! Draco seems in great condition today. I hope he helps us win the game!"  
  
Draco Malfoy had indeed been training hard during the past weeks; he had waited a long time for this moment to come, to show his cousin that he had not 'bought' his Seeker position and that he knew what Slytherin Pride means. He was now moving fluidly in the air, avoiding the furious Bludgers with an incredible agility.  
  
The voice of Servana Abbott from Ravenclaw now filled the pitch "Quaffle taken by Gryffindor, Angelina Johnson speeding off towards the goal posts, masterfully blocked by Slytherin Keeper and Captain Vincent Falke. Nice pass to Terence Higgs but Alicia Spinnet, Chaser for Gryffindor takes the Quaffle back…Goal posts ahead. Vincent Falke is taken by surprise. Gryffindor score!"  
  
The pitch was now filled by Gryffindor cheers and applause. Meanwhile, Slytherin had gained possession again. Avara's pet snake was fascinated by the match; he was hissing something like "Go! Go! Slytherin" in Parseltongue. His mistress was stroking him gently.  
  
Severus Snape, who was standing behind her, found the scene amusing. Although he could not speak it, he could easily understand Parseltongue. He came closer to her:  
  
"Go Slytherin, eh? Looks like your snake enjoys the show, doesn't he?"  
  
Avara tried to hide her surprise "Sure, he does. Oh by the way, thank you for your help, Severus. I appreciate it greatly"  
  
"I always try to help students who know their Potions well…and you are definitely one of them"  
  
He paused thoughtfully, waiting for her reaction. But she did not say a word.  
  
"Speaking about Potions, it looks like your snake has been milked today", said Snape grinning. Avara was stunned: she respected Snape as a very good teacher, but she did not know he had also such a strong practical experience.  
  
Gem snake eyes were usually plain silver or gold, but they turned more translucent and crystalline after they had been milked…The process lasted up to three days, and experienced wizards could also tell the exact time of the milking.  
  
Avara blushed and whispered into the Potions Master's ear "The bond must be real thin, you know. The other Spell would have had disastrous consequences, it would have spoiled everything."  
  
"Of course", replied Snape and they tried to get concentrated on the match again.  
  
Gryffindor was now leading forty points to ten. Both teams had played a true fair game, which was rather unusual from Slytherin, although Vincent Falke seemed to like that new game play. He only bothered about the Snitch anyway, for it could bring instant victory.  
  
Servana Abbott was trying to remain as neutral as possible, although she was naturally inclined towards Slytherin, house of her dream boy Draco Malfoy. She went on commenting "Alicia Spinnet dives for the Quaffle, Gryffindor in possession. Furious Bludger heading towards Spinnet, she dodges it, but drops the Quaffle into Adrian Pucey's hands. Pucey zigzagging in direction of the Gryffindor hoops. He successfully passes Johnson, gains speed, avoids the Bludgers thrown by the Weasley twins. Andrew Bexley can't do anything to block the Quaffle, ten points to Slytherin!" – Warm hoorays from the Slytherin positions.  
  
"Oh wait a minute, was that the Snitch? Slytherin Seeker Draco Malfoy hurtles towards the golden ball, moving gracefully in his green robe on his brand new Thunderbolt XP, Harry Potter notices the Snitch too, dodges two Bludgers, follows Malfoy closely"  
  
The students in their boxes were watching carefully as the two fifth years were coveting the Golden Snitch. Hermione and Ron were crossing their fingers for Harry to get it first.  
  
Meanwhile, Abbott had a hard time hiding her crush on Malfoy. McGonagall behind her had sensed it and was throwing a dark glare at her, wondering whether she was not even worse than Jordan.  
  
On the field, both Seekers were speeding towards the ground, avoiding the zooming Bludgers that hurtled onto them. They were both very close to catching the Snitch; Harry stood up on his Nimbus Two Thousand, trying to seize the golden, walnut-sized ball, but he felt weird. He was thinking of Avara and of her immense sadness if Slytherin lost the match again. She had been almost praying for her team to win the match. He just couldn't imagine seeing her crying.  
  
Next to him, Malfoy was stretching his arm to catch the Snitch, but Harry was still a few inches ahead, almost holding the flash of gold in his fingers… He felt his thoughts swirling through his head, blurring his vision, ensnaring his mind… See Avara happy, that was what mattered most to him. He said "Take it, Draco! You deserve it!"  
  
Malfoy could not believe his ears. He bowed to Potter, as to thank him, and caught the Golden Snitch in a strong feeling of victory.  
  
The crowd in the pitch was roaring. Slytherin had won the match one hundred and seventy points to fifty.  
  
Servana Abbott was commenting this unexpected result cheerily: "Slytherin is transfigured! After four years absolute Golden/Red supremacy, the house with the Snake wins a fair game against Gryffindor due to Seeker Draco Malfoy's exceptional performance" – she could feel McGonagall's elbow punching her ribs.  
  
Steven Packard embraced Avara heartily while shaking his huge House flag like crazy. It was his first Quidditch match and his House had won!  
  
In the Gryffindor box on their right, Hermione was worried about what had happened to Harry. Her friend was hovering randomly on his broomstick, eyes half-open…  
  
He asked himself in a faint whisper "Are you happy, Avara?" and fell unconscious on the ground. 


	8. The Letters

THE LETTERS  
  
===========  
  
  
  
On the next morning, Harry awoke in his bed with a strong headache and a sensation of numbness. Looking at the big magical clock above the beds whose hands were pointing at "Breakfast Time", he reckoned that his Gryffindor housemates were probably already in the Great Hall, delighting themselves with Pumpkin cakes and swallowing huge spoonfuls of Gooseberry Porridge.  
  
Beyond the milky veil that covered his eyes, he could make out the silhouette of a girl he knew : Avara was sitting next to him, reading what seemed to be a lesson book.  
  
"Hmm…Avara? Is that you?" he asked, not quire sure whether he was dreaming or not  
  
"Yes, Harry, good morning! Are you alright?" she asked smoothly.  
  
"Er…I don't know…What happened? How did you manage to get here?" As he was putting his brains together, he could see Avara's shape was getting clearer into sight. She seemed extraordinarily calm and her glooming green eyes were looking down to Harry with compassion.  
  
"Just relax, Harry. It will be okay…" she muttered, trying not to speak too loud  
  
"You fell off your broomstick yesterday during the Quidditch match, which was splendid by the way. You were brought to the nursery, but Mrs Pomfrey could not manage to give you your strengths back. I told Professor McGonagall that I could brew a rare potion that could wake you up and heal you. That's why she said the password in front of the Fat Lady and let me into Gryffindor Tower so that I could stand by your side"  
  
"Ah…" said Harry, still feeling confused about the recent happenings.  
  
"What about Ron and Hermione? Do you know where they are?"  
  
"Of course! I saw them having breakfast with the other Gryffindors… They have been taking care of you all night. When they heard that I would be staying by your side, Hermione suddenly got angry and told Professor McGonagall she would have to choose between me and her to look after you. Apparently there was not enough room for the three of us…"  
  
"The only difference is…", she took a deep breath, passing her hand through her long, raven-black hair "that Hermione did not know any useful remedy that could help you…And thus, I'm here" she smiled, her glimmering emerald eyes sparkling in an unusual, beautiful fashion.  
  
"Well…Thanks, Avara, I really owe you something" said Harry, still feeling weak.  
  
"Shh…Harry, keep your strength. Take this and drink it all until there is no drop remaining. It will do you good" she said, handing a goblet filled with a translucent, purple potion. The draught was smoking faintly as if it was still boiling in the cauldron.  
  
"What…what is it?" asked Harry shyly.  
  
"I'm not supposed to tell you about it… It's a very powerful potion some of the 7th years do not even know. Just drink it, trust me" She placed a hand behind Harry's back for him to straighten up. A bit frightened, Harry reached out for the smoking goblet and dipped his lips into the potion.  
  
He started shivering and felt cold as ice within a few seconds, he was crying "Avara! Why?" but she kept soothing him, saying "It'll be ok, Harry, be strong". Slowly, the world around him was getting crisp and clear and that strange feeling of numbness seemed to leave him. He knew he was safe now.  
  
"Wow!", he said "Your draught worked wonders! Aaand, it tastes good!"  
  
"See Harry, no need to worry! I had to milk Malachius yesterday to brew this potion. I knew it could help."  
  
***  
  
Later in the morning, Hagrid was discussing important matters with Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape in the Headmaster's office. After Gryffindor had lost the match – their first defeat against another house in five years – he had asked Dumbledore for an audition.  
  
"Er…Professors, I must tell yeh somethin' really important. Yeh may think I'm crazy but I've got ter tell yeh dat. I've been thinkin' bout it fer months now"  
  
"What is it, Hagrid?" asked Dumbledore calmly.  
  
"Well…er…remember when I spent dat two weeks in Azkaban? I the cell next ter mine, there was them bloody Death Eaters, they call themselves. Dark people they was, yes. And they kept talkin' the same litany over and over. But I, Hagrid, could hear them talk. I could not hear every word they was sayin' but dat was what I heard:"  
  
"The heir will come soon… Black hair, green eyes… Very powerful wizard… Nemesis of the light… The Reign of V... er, You-Know-Who", he said, his forehead sweating as if he were still in Azkaban "I told Harry Potter I had a strange feelin' about dat Avara girl. But I get it. Them Death Eaters, they was talk'in bout HER! She's so weird, look at what's happenin' at Hogwarts. She surely is a Dark wizard, a devotee to You-Know-Who!"  
  
"Come on Hagrid," said the Hogwarts Headmaster "Thanks for alerting us but I seriously doubt Ms. Von Argentum belongs to the Dark Side. Actually she does lots of good things here and helps a lot of students"  
  
"Get yourself together, Hagrid," said Severus Snape, draping in his black satin cloak as if hiding something. He looked down to the gamekeeper with great contempt "Maybe your Azkaban fellows were simply talking about…Harry Potter…and some other Dark wizard. You did not mention any girl, did you?"  
  
Hagrid was starting to think that Snape was right.  
  
Finally, Minerva McGonagall added "And I've learned a few minutes that Ms. Von Argentum just healed Mr. Potter with a single Potion. Thank you Hagrid, we really don't think that we need to worry about her"  
  
Hagrid blushed "Er…sorry Professors, it was silly from me. I shouldn't have bothered you". He left Dumbledore's office ashamed, and headed back to his hut in the grounds of Hogwarts. There he could play for a while with the Giant Golden Snails he had found in the forest. They would surely help him forget it all.  
  
***  
  
Harry was now quite fine. Avara had left him to attend her Arithmancy class. Thinking about her, he reckoned that she had saved him with a forbidden potion: she was a really good friend and the living proof that Slytherins were not necessarily evil. He dressed up in his black cloak embroidered with red and golden threads, put his sweater on and his Gryffindor tie, and stepped down the gigantic marble staircase on the way to the Great Hall. There, he found remainders from the breakfast, along with a copy of both daily newspapers. The Daily Prophet's headline gave him a shock :  
  
Harry Potter in Love lets Gryffindor lose  
  
The bare truth by DP special reporter Rita Skeeter  
  
He kept on reading:  
  
"…According to our sources, who wished to remain anonymous, Harry Potter, the until now always victorious Gryffindor Seeker is dating Hogwarts' latest recruit, fifth-year Avara von Argentum from Slytherin. His housemates suggest that his relationship diverted him from concentrating on yesterday's match. Already voices arise wishing Harry Potter to resign…"  
  
It was more than Harry could bear "Nonsense! That old Skeeter pest!" he mumbled. Flicking his wand at the newspaper, he muttered "Incendio!" and burnt it to ashes.  
  
Out of sheer curiosity, he picked up the Wizard Times. It could not be worse than the Daily Prophet anyway. It related yesterday's match in a tiny column under the Wizard Sports section.  
  
Slytherin wins first match of the season at Hogwarts  
  
The headline sounded nicer…  
  
"After two hours of intense but fair play between both teams, the Seekers finally came close to the Golden Snitch. Draco Malfoy, mounting his new Thunderbolt XP, seemed to be more in control of his path and caught the walnut-sized ball in a split second before Gryffindor's favourite player Harry Potter, who played a very good game too. Unfortunately, he fell of his broom just after Madam Hooch ended the game…"  
  
Harry folded the Wizard Times into his trunk and lay down on his bed for a short nap. After all, he had been ill so he had well deserved a little more rest.  
  
But something came haunting his sleep, a voice he knew only too well "Stay off Avara, Potter! She does not dessserve you. You'll die sssoon" hissed the voice. He then saw the silhouette of a man, the same unknown man he had seen in Avara's eyes, who could very well be the human form of Lord Voldemort reborn…  
  
"Harry! Wake up!" shouted Ron's voice inside his left ear.  
  
"Umm…Ron? Is that you?" asked Harry, half awake. "Harry, are you alright?" asked his friend "I was afraid Avara would poison you…"  
  
"Stop speaking nonsense Ron, she brewed a rare potion that saved me!"  
  
"Oh, did she? Er…well, I'm sorry… You know, I've talked to Hagrid yesterday evening after you fell off your broom, and he did not seem to trust her. Do you want to come and attend Herbology with me? It's about time!"  
  
"Not yet, Ron! I still have something important to do. See you at the break then! Oh, by the ways, where's Hermione?" asked Harry.  
  
"At the library of course! She's trying to catch up Avara on Potions"  
  
"She should give it up, if you want my humble opinion. She does not bear a single chance!" said Harry, remembering the raspberry flavoured potion that saved his life.  
  
After Ron left the room, Harry took a piece of noble parchment and his best quill from the drawer where he stored his writing material. He sat down to write a letter to Sirius; he wanted to know his godfather's opinion about all this. Maybe Sirius could better understand what was going on.  
  
"Dear Sirius,  
  
I'm writing you this letter in a sense of deepest confusion. Strange things have been happening here at Hogwarts. I thought you could help me…"  
  
He told him about Avara, the Sorting Hat's revelation in Dumbledore's office, the strange voice and Gryffindor's defeat yesterday. His letter ended with the following words:  
  
"Oh…and Sirius, could you please tell me how to know if it's love that I'm feeling? I reckon that I'm strongly bound to Avara, but I'm not sure about my emotions. I think it's like a brother/sister bond. Please let me hear from you very soon,  
  
Harry"  
  
He asked his snowy owl Hedwig to carry out the letter, feeling already relieved that Sirius would know very soon what is going on.  
  
Meanwhile, in the Slytherin Common Room down in the dungeons, Avara had been writing a letter too:  
  
"Dear Mother, Dear Father,  
  
My first weeks at Hogwarts were really enlightening. As you can imagine, I've been sorted into Slytherin house – what else? – and I've been able to make true friends here : cousin Draco of course, a first year Slytherin called Steven Packard and… Harry Potter from Gryffindor.  
  
Thanks to my request, we finally have mixed classes like in Durmstrang. There may be positions open for Renatus quite soon, if he's still interested; I'll let you know when he can apply. And I kept the best for the end: Slytherin won their first Quidditch match in five years. Malachius and I are delighted.  
  
Cheers,  
  
Avara"  
  
When the letter reached them in Silberberg, Arsenius and Vinea von Argentum felt very proud of their daughter. She was following the path that had been built up for her; they knew she would be good at it. Renatus Troomveld, who had been staying at Argentum Manor for the past few months was also thrilled by the news and wondered when he could come to Hogwarts. 


	9. Moody's Mood

MOODY'S MOOD  
  
=============  
  
  
  
The week before Christmas, Defense Against the Dark Arts was the only subject where mixed classes had not begun yet. Professor Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody, who usually was over-defiant, did not wish to change his ways of teaching. The students liked him that way, why would he have to follow another path?  
  
Last year, after Dumbledore had found out that Bartemius Crouch Jr. had impersonated Moody using the Polyjuice Potion, the Hogwarts Headmaster had begged the real Moody to stay for one more year. "Mad Eye" Moody really liked to teach. As a former Auror, he was particularly qualified to protect anyone from the Dark Forces.  
  
As such, he had a particularly hard time getting used to Avara von Argentum.  
  
Her parents he knew only too well: some of the mightiest Dark wizards of the century, friends of Voldemort, very literate but also ruthless and cruel. They were said to have improved the "Avada Kedavra" curse so it could kill everyone in a room, not only the person the wand aimed at. Some said Arsenius and Vinea von Argentum also tortured white wizards and distilled their spirits to powerful potions and drank them to become yet mightier, perhaps more than Voldemort himself.  
  
He had spent nine years of his life trying to hunt them down but they had fled back to Germany - where Arsenius originated – before he could send them for lifetime in Azkaban.  
  
There, they had assumedly bought an ancient castle on the heights of Silberberg and cursed it with Dark spells so strong, that only people from the Dark side could ever find it.  
  
And now he had to face them again, through their daughter Avara, the living proof of his defeat against them. Moreover, she was precisely studying at Hogwarts and attending his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. Unbelievable!  
  
When he first saw her at the Sorting Ceremony, he had been profoundly shocked and felt immense hatred for that girl of infamous lineage.  
  
However, Dumbledore had asked him to wait and see…prejudices were always a bad state of mind. And the Headmaster was apparently right: Arsenius and Vinea von Argentum's daughter was an exceptional student. She knew her Dark Arts very well – she had good reasons – and she also knew how to protect herself from the strongest curses.  
  
Moody actually enjoyed teaming up with Avara for the counter-curse exercises because he was confident that she would never be harmed.  
  
Yet her impressive aura frightened him because he was unable to tell on which side she stood. Avara being the first person whose intentions he could not fathom, he decided not to trust her completely.  
  
Another good reason for him not to try out mixed classes.  
  
Obviously, that meant he would have to resign after Christmas and Hogwarts would have to hire a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  
  
Somehow, he felt happy with that thought… It was time for him to leave, to go back home, take care of magical plants, forget all evil that he had been chasing during his whole life and enjoy a well-deserved rest.  
  
This morning's lesson with the Slytherins was one of his last classes at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He would have to announce that he would be leaving his job at the end of the week. He crossed his fingers for Avara not to ask for the job, although she would be excellent, no doubt about it.  
  
He walked into the classroom filled with students in black robes and green adornments. Most Slytherins fancied Defense Against the Dark Arts because they hoped they would learn stuff about the Dark Arts themselves. Pure fascination of Evil.  
  
Avara was sitting in the second row as always, leaving the first one to the go-getters, but she had to be ready in case Moody needed her to demonstrate counter-curses.  
  
At the end of the class, he said: "I'll have to leave you earlier today. A Gryffindor student asked me to do some research about Dark ways to gain Mind Control over people… Oh, and by the way, I have decided not to change my mind about mixed classes. I fear Professor Dumbledore will have to look for another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Maybe the rumours telling the job is jinxed were right, after all." He smiled, his Magical eye rolling inside his orb, observing Avara's reaction.  
  
She remained impassive, but her eyes betrayed that she was almost feeling sorry for Moody.  
  
Once the lesson was over, the Slytherins met for a break in the Patio. Avara whispered into Malfoy's ear "Ten Galleons for me, cousin!"  
  
Draco's drawling voice replied, fairly bored "No wonder you're so wealthy, Avara. No one should ever start betting with you"  
  
"Don't be so sour, Draco! I'll buy some sweets from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade this afternoon with that money. We'll be having a real feast tonight"  
  
That thought seemed to cheer her cousin up again: "Right you are; I can't wait until tonight. There's nothing better than a Slytherin banquet."  
  
He went on "We must be there early enough to get the best table. I'll ask Servana to be there on time too. What about Potter? Will you invite him? I mean, after Gryffindor lost the match last month, he surely has more friends in Slytherin than in his own house…" he couldn't stop laughing.  
  
Avara smiled "Of course! And please, Draco, I demand you to treat him right"  
  
***  
  
Later that day, in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry, Ron and Hermione were lounging comfortably in the big velvet couch in front of the fireplace. They too had learnt that Moody was quitting from his Defense Against the Dark Arts job, to Hermione's greatest disappointment.  
  
"Ron, it's such a pity! Moody was probably the best DADA-teacher we've had in five years at Hogwarts. I mean, the real Moody was even way better than the fake one. Hopefully he has enough time before his departure to do the little research I asked him!"  
  
"Do you really think that what happened to Harry that day on the Quidditch pitch has something to do with the Dark Arts?"  
  
"Maybe" said Hermione, stroking her ginger-haired cat Crookshanks, as if she knew more to it, deliberately avoiding to reveal the whole story.  
  
"Yeah… Too bad for Moody" said Harry, who just joined their conversation.  
  
"Last year he was kidnapped and now he has to leave…I wonder who will be the new teacher. It won't be easy for Dumbledore to find a new professor before the beginning of next term."  
  
"Oh come on, Harry, be serious!" interjected Hermione bitterly, "You know very well the reason why Moody had to resign. It's because he did not want to bow before your Slytherin friend!"  
  
"My…Slytherin friend…as you call her…saved my life, in case you just forgot…and she invited me to the Slytherin Banquet tonight."  
  
Ron and Hermione looked bewildered at each other.  
  
"The what?" they asked in a single voice.  
  
"The Slytherin Banquet. It's a sort of House feast. Happens once a year I've been told, every 19th December, as a celebration to Salazar Slytherin's birthday."  
  
"Really Harry, this is going too far", shouted Hermione, her face turning crimson out of sheer anger.  
  
"This Salazar Slytherin, he invented and promoted all that pureblood crap. According to his theory, I don't even deserve to live. And you follow them? What makes you think they're not making a fool of you?"  
  
"Hmm…nothing, I know it, that's all. It's all so short-sighted, Hermione."  
  
"Harry, I hope what Rita Skeeter wrote in the paper is wrong. Like Icarus, you could burn your wings if you get too close to the sun. Except the sun we're talking about here is a very Dark one. Crookshanks here can feel it too. The few times he's seen Avara, he started spitting like crazy. Remember Peter Pettigrew. Crookshanks cannot be mistaken."  
  
"Hermione, you just don't know Avara. If you just happened to talk to her, you'll reckon she's a very brave-hearted girl with an impressive mind and…she's so mature!"  
  
"Puh – lease Harry, that's what everyone is so swarming about. She's twisting you around her little finger like Dumbledore and the rest, just to get more power! If you want us to stay friends, you'll have to choose whose side you're on. Here with Ron and me, or with that venomous Slytherin!"  
  
Ron moved forward, moaning "Hey Hermione, wait a minute! I have nothing against Avara… I mean, she looks nice, she has manners, and her snake – Malachius the name - is bloody brilliant…you should have hear it talk to Harry! So I don't see why…"  
  
"Ron, you'll have to choose too, I'm afraid. I just can't understand that you see no contradiction in all this. How can you possibly be neutral in such a situation…"  
  
Both Ron and Harry couldn't say a word that would stop Hermione's fury.  
  
"Very well, then. If you make up your mind some time, just ask first year Camilla Woodbridge, she'll know where to find me. For now, I'm out of here"  
  
She ran up the stairs to the girls' dormitory and slammed the door behind her with incredible violence.  
  
"She's gone postal, Hermione! What do you reckon has happened to her?" asked Harry.  
  
Ron was starting to realize that things could possibly never be the same again between him and Hermione "Dunno. Girls stuff probably… But Harry, this is all your fault. I mean, you keep spending more and more time with our Slytherin foes. No wonder she's over-reacting a bit."  
  
"Time will prove me right, Ron. If you are not sure, though, we'd better stay away from each other for a while"  
  
"Maybe you're right, Harry"  
  
At the same time, Avara von Argentum could follow the whole scene in her mind. Her eyes were filled with the same, shimmering glow that Professor Snape had noticed on the Quidditch pitch one month earlier. 


	10. The Slytherin Banquet

THE SLYTHERIN BANQUET  
  
=====================  
  
  
  
It was a few minutes past five in the afternoon when Avara came back from Hogsmeade, her arms packed with heavy Honeydukes totes. One could buy an impressive amount of sweets with ten Galleons, she reckoned. Fortunately, she had remembered the shortcut passage Renatus Troomveld had told her about, that led from Hogsmeade to the dungeons within a few minutes.  
  
When she came back to the Slytherin Common Room, she handed the bags to Steven Packard for him to put them in a safe place and headed for the girls' dormitory.  
  
Although she seemed serene, she was plagued with doubt.  
  
"Will I be up to it?" she asked herself.  
  
She couldn't imagine anything better than a vivifying shower to wash her sorrows away and give her strength for tonight's banquet.  
  
Crystalline water was soaking her raven-like black hair, a thousand translucent pearls crawling down her body from head to toe. She draped herself in a bottle-green towel and sat down on her bed, combing her long hair gracefully.  
  
Looking in the direction of Malachius' cage, she was pleased to notice that her snake was curled over himself, smoothly breathing and deeply asleep… He was probably dreaming that he was the next Slytherin top-model, wearing black sunglasses and hiding from paparazzi. She liked him like the little brother she had never had.  
  
She took the first wizard robe she found in her truck, dressed up quickly and stepped down the spiral staircase towards the Common Room, where Vincent Falke and a sixth-year housemate called Xaver Eldritch were waiting for her.  
  
"Shall we start now?" asked Falke eagerly.  
  
"Alright! Vincent, take the banners over there, Xaver you can bring the table cloths… I for myself shall get the room decorated. I know some exquisite decoration charms from home"  
  
Along with some first years, the three of them helped preparing the room for the feast. The first years had too much spare time anyway…  
  
***  
  
Servana Abbott from Ravenclaw did not join their housemates in the Great Hall for dinner as usual. She had told them that she would be attending the Slytherin banquet instead, awakening strong interest among her blue-clad fellows.  
  
Since a few weeks Slytherin House had been gaining strong popularity within Ravenclaw, especially after their victory on the Quidditch pitch. Both houses seemed to complete each other perfectly during the mixed classes: the cunning of the snake combined with the raven's wits brought the best results, except maybe in Professor Trelawney's Divination classes.  
  
Most of the Ravenclaw students would have done anything to swap places with Servana in order to attend the mysterious banquet. But they knew they had not a single chance because Draco Malfoy himself had invited their red- haired first-year friend.  
  
After dinner, it was quite hard for her to get ready, her housemates stalking her with dozens of questions about the house that had produced the most Dark wizards at Hogwarts.  
  
She managed to go back to her bedroom take a black dress for the feast – it was the first time students from other houses were allowed to attend the Slytherin banquet and as such, they were forbidden to wear their house colours.  
  
Looking at herself in the mirror, she reckoned that she was looking great in that black gown and was rather pleased with the result.  
  
Cho Chang was lying on her bed a few feet away from her, daydreaming. As she saw Servana in such a beautiful robe, she asked:  
  
"So, are you going to twist Malfoy around your little finger tonight?  
  
"Umm" said Servana, blushing, her azure eyes betraying a feeling of guilt.  
  
"I mean, I don't like Draco, he thinks I'm a worthless Mudblood…But at least you have someone you can date…I…" she was sobbing "…haven't got anybody anymore… Cedric died last year…Harry Potter is seeing Avara…"  
  
"Don't be upset, Cho! If you perform well at the next Quidditch match, the boys out there will be after you like wild…I for myself owe Avara a lot. Draco would probably never have noticed me if she hadn't told her cousin that I fancied him. Fortunately, he learnt from her that I was a pureblood too… He wouldn't have given me a chance otherwise"  
  
"That little git!" burst Cho "Really! Who does he think he is? Don't you prove him right!"  
  
"Er…you know, his family is one of the most ancient and most respected wizarding families… and he's so good looking"  
  
"Hmm…Right…Have a good time" said Cho, trying to hide how furious she was.  
  
"Don't worry…" said Servana, embracing her housemate. On the way to the corridors, she met two fifth-years who asked her for a detailed report of the banquet when she would be back. It was hard being famous...  
  
***  
  
Harry was about to leave his room too. He had been over-enthusiastic in the past few days about the Slytherin feast, but today's happenings had made him less serene.  
  
Hedwig had brought him the long-awaited letter from Sirius in the afternoon, and he had been reading it over and over as to find a hidden message between the lines that would comfort him.  
  
"Dear Harry,  
  
I feel really sorry for not answering earlier. You bet I would have if it had been possible for me, the matters here being extremely serious.  
  
When I read that letter you sent me, I first thought that my eyes were playing a bad trick on me.  
  
The Argentums I know very well, having suffered under their gracile hands fifteen years ago the most horrible tortures one can imagine – or not. A refinement in cruelty I've never seen again in my life. If I hadn't had enough strength to transform into Padfoot when they started their atrocious work on me, no Sirius Black would be writing you that letter today.  
  
Those times were very Dark, Harry. The Argentums were among the most powerful Dark wizards ever and I was the only one who escaped them. However, their daughter Avara I don't know. Dumbledore told me she's good.  
  
In Azkaban, I heard rumours about the new generation of Dark wizards but I did not managed to remember the names they mentioned.  
  
Maybe she is using her mind to accomplish good things, revolting against her parents, I don't know. However, mixed classes are simply brilliant; I wonder why Dumbledore never came up with that idea himself earlier.  
  
All that I can say: be careful Harry, do not open your heart nor your mind to her and let me know how things are going!  
  
Yours,  
  
Sirius"  
  
Harry simply couldn't imagine that the same people who had given birth to someone as exceptional as Avara were also capable of the worst and Darkest things, yet acts of torture on his godfather Sirius.  
  
Before joining his Slytherin friends for the banquet in the dungeons, he told Hedwig about his feelings. The snowy white owl could not reply, but he needed a trustful companion that would listen to him… He evoked how lonely he felt since Ron and Hermione were avoiding him. However, Avara's strong presence and energy made him feel better than anyone else every time he was close to her.  
  
He asked Hedwig "What do you think of her? Is she to be trusted?" Hedwig seemed to nod and nibbled his finger gently with her beak.  
  
It was enough for him to feel confident again. Wearing his most expensive black cloak – one he had bought at Mrs. Malkin's for the greatest occasions, it had cost him seventeen Galleons – he put his wand into his pocket and stepped steadily down the stairs towards the dungeons.  
  
On the way, he met Servana Abbott from Ravenclaw. He recalled that he had seen her playing cards with Draco, Steven and Avara, and also what his fellow Gryffindors had told him about her commenting the match. He reckoned that she surely had been invited by Malfoy.  
  
"Hi Servana!" he said "I guess you're going to the Slytherin banquet, aren't you?"  
  
"Er…right! Are you? I mean, is it the first time?"  
  
"Yeah. You know, a lot of things have changed in my relationship to Slytherin this year"  
  
Their jet black robes were not as discrete as Harry's Invisibility Cloak but both managed to avoid prefects and teachers on their way to the dungeons.  
  
Once they arrived in front of the majestic stone serpent that guarded the room, Harry said the password Avara had written down - "Magna Fortuna"- and the door opened slowly, exposing the tables that had been readied for the banquet.  
  
The Slytherin Common Room was decorated with the most exquisite Charms Harry had ever seen. Green flame torches were gleaming in a silvery mist, casting their shadows on long and huge green velvet banners hanging from the vaulted ceiling; carved stone walls seemed to sparkle with thousand of flickering stars. This was the work of Avara's first Scintillatus charm, which had undoubtedly worked.  
  
Seven massive ash tables had been appointed; they were separated by colossal serpentine columns stretching from floor to ceiling. Behind the centre table, which seemed to be the largest one, an ancient frame was holding the portrait of a severe aged wizard. When Harry and Servana stepped into the room, they noticed that some Slytherins had already taken place at their tables. Avara was sitting at the large table in the middle.  
  
She stood up: "Servana, Harry, please come forth and join us, we'll begin in a few minutes". She was beautifully dressed in a shimmering green witch robe with silver linings; her eyes seemed to glow brighter than usual.  
  
Harry took a seat between her and Vincent Falke, whereas the tall red- haired girl from Ravenclaw took the last free place on the table, directly right to Draco Malfoy. She couldn't have dreamt a better place. At the table, the remaining seats were occupied by Steven Packard, Pansy Parkinson and Xaver Eldritch.  
  
Vincent and Harry were already discussing Quidditch and Snitch-catching techniques when a well-known bat-like silhouette entered the room: Severus Snape, Master of Potions and Head of Slytherin House, was moving fluidly in a sumptuous black cloak with green and silver linings towards the centre table. Harry threw a desperate look at Avara, wondering if his own presence tonight was a good idea. She tried to comfort him with a mild look of her green eyes.  
  
Snape cleared his throat and, leaning on the centre table, he started to speak:  
  
"Ladies, Gentlemen, fellow Slytherins and guests, let me welcome you tonight to the 999th Slytherin banquet of Hogwarts" he paused, leaving some time for the students to clap heartily. He went on:  
  
"Tonight should be very special indeed. I am informed that the great Salazar Slytherin himself wants to talk to us… But for now, feel free to delight yourselves!"  
  
"Apparecium!" On the tables, silver goblets and plates appeared, along with the most exquisite meals imaginable: giant oysters, dragon steak in fire sauce, finest goat cheese and magical green apple cake.  
  
Most of Slytherins were enjoying this finer dinner so much that they took two or three helpings of every course. Their glasses were filled with magical water, green apple juice or delicious icewine from Professor Snape's personal cellar – for fourth-years and older only.  
  
Harry was now starting to feel better: although Snape was definitely not his favourite teacher, he reckoned that he was very good at being the Head of Slytherin, given the way he was leading the banquet. His table neighbours were also a pleasant talk: he discussed the intimates of Quidditch with Vincent and Xaver gave him a short glimpse on the sixth-year subjects to come.  
  
After a while, Avara asked him how he was enjoying the feast. He whispered into her ear "We'll have to talk after dinner, I'm worried"  
  
"I can feel it, Harry… Just get into the mood! We will soon hear the Great Salazar speak to us, it will be great… our ancestor…I just can't wait any longer"  
  
"Umm…yeah…But you know Avara, it's all new to me", Harry replied shyly  
  
"No need to worry. Take some more icewine, it is delicious and it'll do you good"  
  
At the other end of the table, Draco Malfoy and Servana Abbott enjoyed some fresh Fizzing Whizbees Avara had brought back from Honeydukes and seemed to have an interesting conversation.  
  
After his second helping of grapevine and mintapple jelly, Harry spotted Malachius sleeping on a cushion in the corner of the room and wondered why he was here rather than in Avara's bedroom.  
  
A few minutes later, just before midnight, Severus Snape stood up and asked the students for complete silence.  
  
"The time has come for our House Master Salazar Slytherin to unveil his message to us. Last time he spoke to his students was through his heir Tom Riddle fifty years ago, so we should be aware that this is highly exceptional. I demand you all remain silent, one should be able to hear the green torches flicker."  
  
The Slytherins stopped talking at once, feeling awestruck and not devoid of the pride of attending such a ceremony.  
  
Snape turned towards Avara "Miss von Argentum, please step forth with your snake, we will now proceed to the invocation of the great Salazar Slytherin"  
  
While the Potions Master was taking a piece of parchment from his billowing black cloak, Avara woke up Malachius – "Hmm? What's going on here" yawned the snake, looking at the room with his big silvery eyes – curled him onto her arm and walked towards Snape's left side.  
  
The three of them began to read the text written on the scrap of parchment. It was written in Parseltongue, and although Snape could not speak it fluently he could very well decipher it and read it aloud. They invoked Slytherin in a series of soft hissings and spittings:  
  
"Great Salazar,  
  
Lord of the Snakes  
  
May your death be defeated  
  
Reveal us your wisdom  
  
For we are thirsty of your soul  
  
Darkness and light  
  
Power and might  
  
Lord Slytherin we await you"  
  
In a sudden, the vault turned dark, putting off Avara's decoration spells, green flame torches casting the only lights in the room.  
  
The portrait behind the table where Harry was sitting seemed to come to life and the face of the aged wizard became younger, revealing a raven- haired wizard with greenish eyes and a thin black beard. He started moving slowly as if facing the audience. His eyes were sparkling like flames.  
  
Although Professor Snape had also witnessed Slytherin's last apparition, he was always feeling strange when the House Master appeared.  
  
The living portrait of the wizard started speaking in Parseltongue and Avara, like transfigured, was translating his words for her housemates:  
  
"Witches and wizards of pureblood extraction,  
  
I have come to life again after fifty years  
  
To welcome thou to my lair and announce great things.  
  
Sly, ambitious and cunning are my true followers.  
  
Times of grandeur will arise to the faithful sons of Slytherin  
  
For my heir is among us to accomplish noble tasks.  
  
Under the spell of the snake,  
  
Soon your Dark flowers will bloom…" he paused, solemnly.  
  
But for now, Carpe Noctem and enjoy the feast!"  
  
Salazar Slytherin's living picture vanished from the wall and so did the frame as well, unveiling an ancient wooden door.  
  
The room was filled with the most absolute silence for a few more minutes. Some students, like Malfoy or Packard were truly fascinated by Lord Slytherin's speech, but most of them were trying to find out why their House Master had chosen to appear tonight.  
  
Harry was looking nervously at Avara who seemed completely exhausted. He too could speak Parseltongue and it occurred to him that she had mistakenly translated one sentence during the speech, but he could not figure out which one it was.  
  
Indeed, Snape had noticed that too and he whispered to the unfathomable girl: "Very brilliant, Avara. Changing "a noble task for me" into "noble tasks". You truly follow our Master's path"  
  
"Please Severus, don't say anything. You'll make me blush. Let's go, I'm feeling so devoid of energy. I'd love to have a rest in the hidden corridor"  
  
"Fine, fine…" replied Snape. Turning towards the students, he said "Lord Slytherin has opened the hidden lounge for you. Feel free to visit and relax, drinks allowed."  
  
Through the first- to seventh year ranks, the students rejoiced, they had been reading so much about the lounge in books, knowing that only the House Master himself could open it. The rare students that had been in the lounge fifty years ago used to depict it as a delightful place.  
  
Draco and Servana entered the dimly lit passageway first, followed almost immediately by everyone else.  
  
From there, one could reach a dozen rooms with velvet couches, low tables and shimmering lights. Avara told Harry, who was looking suspicious: "Come on, we'll be able to talk quietly, away from the others". They entered one of the smaller rooms. Comfortably sitting in the couch, Harry couldn't stop drinking the delicious icewine but he had to let his friend know what had been tormenting him:  
  
"I've had a serious dispute with Ron and Hermione. They don't seem to want to talk to me anymore, accusing me of spending more time in with you than with my own house. They think I'm a traitor, not worthy of their friendship. You know it feels so strange, they were my best friends and now it's like they never knew me."  
  
"Really? Oh I feel so sorry for you Harry", said Avara in her clear crystalline voice.  
  
"This may mean that they were not real friends and that the bond that linked the three of you was broken because it was not strong enough … How do you feel among us, Harry?" she asked softly.  
  
"Hmm… Good, I think… I mean, I like everything you are doing, and your friends too. But Lord Slytherin somehow frightens me."  
  
"Oh that! He frightens everyone… But it was a good thing that you met him tonight. You should be able to better know who you are now."  
  
Harry was now feeling more confident and extremely well, like that night he had spent with Avara in the dormitory.  
  
"Avara, there is something else too. I shouldn't tell you that though. I've been hearing things recently… about your parents and the way they used Dark Arts to harm people. I've been warned about you, too."  
  
"Let them think what they want…Remember when you first arrived at Hogwarts? Lots of students – including Cousin Draco – were jealous of your extraordinary fate… Regarding my parents, I owe them a lot for what I am and I respect them profoundly. They master the Dark Arts indeed and taught them to me. That's why I'm also much better prepared than all of you to deal with and protect myself from Curses and such. That's all I can say about it." Her exhaustion was so extreme that she fell immediately asleep in Harry's arms. He regretted bothering her with those unpleasant questions…  
  
In the lounge next to them, Draco Malfoy and Servana Abbott were holding hands and kissing gently, galvanized by Lord Slytherin's words. 


	11. The Audition

THE AUDITION  
  
============  
  
  
  
It hadn't occurred to Harry that he had spent the whole night sleeping in the lounge with Avara on his lap, and yet it was already seven in the morning. He would have to go back quickly to the Gryffindor Common Room to get dressed in his house colours. When she woke up, Avara suggested they take breakfast together before he returned to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
On their way to the Great Hall, they encountered a tall, good looking man whom Avara seemed to know. He was walking slowly, almost majestically, his left hand holding a cane made out of the noblest woods.  
  
"Renatus?" The man turned back…  
  
"Glad to see you here at Hogwarts, I didn't know you would be arriving so quickly" said the girl, looking at Troomveld with a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.  
  
The tall brown-haired man smiled "I couldn't wait any longer, Avara. One has to make his own luck!"  
  
Avara introduced him to Harry: "Harry, meet Renatus Troomveld, he's a friend of the family. I told him he could apply for an audition for Moody's job." "Renatus, let me introduce you Harry Potter!"  
  
Harry was quite excited "So you're teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Troomveld?"  
  
"Indeed, and people say that I'm rather good at it. I have waited a long time for the moment I would meet you Harry. You have been doing great things!"  
  
He went on: "But I've got to hurry. Professor Dumbledore is waiting for me and I shall not be late. So maybe we'll meet again very soon!"  
  
Troomveld walked hastily up the stairs towards the Headmaster's office.  
  
Harry hoped he would succeed; he liked the way Troomveld was acting and speaking. Besides, he seemed so familiar to Harry, as if they had already met before.  
  
Albus Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, reading a big book about Phoenixes through the Ages when he heard someone knock at the door. It was probably that Mr. Troomveld. He asked him to open the door himself, which was locked with a rare spell.  
  
Renatus took his ebony wand out of his pocket, spoke "Supra Alohomora" to break the spell and entered the room.  
  
"Good morning Professor, you successfully passed the first test" said Dumbledore.  
  
"With all the respect I owe you, that was an easy one" said Renatus, stretching out his hand to the Headmaster with a grin on his face.  
  
"Very well… Let me explain you the rules: you'll go through a series of small exercises so I can tell if the job is suited for you."  
  
Two hours later, both men were having a glass of plum brandy and discussing the good old times at Hogwarts before Voldemort's rise.  
  
"Professor Troomveld – or may I call you Renatus? – I must say that I'm impressed. I'm looking forward you starting your classes very soon"  
  
"Thank you Albus, the pleasure is for me. Do you allow me to stay in the Castle over the holidays to prepare the classes?"  
  
"Certainly…Feel free to do so, Renatus. Thus you'll get to know your students better."  
  
Troomveld was really pleased and proud for being chosen by Dumbledore. Avara had been warning him that it would not be easy but he had felt very confident.  
  
Dumbledore stayed in his office for the rest of the day, having to help Moody for his research about Mind Control for Hermione Granger. He was also relieved for having found such a good Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in such a short time. Avara von Argentum had proven herself useful one more time.  
  
Suddenly, his eagle owl entered the office in great turmoil and dropped a purple envelope on his desk. Urgent mail rarely meant good news, thought the Hogwarts Headmaster. He opened the envelope with his knife and began to read.  
  
Pernelle Flamel was writing him that her husband Nicolas had died mysteriously last night and that she needed someone to stay by her side in this mourning time.  
  
The Flamels were among Professor Dumbledore's closest and dearest friends. He packed a few belongings into his bag and decided to visit poor Pernelle without further ado.  
  
***  
  
After dinner that evening, Avara and Harry had to do their homework for tomorrow's Potions class together. As they were walking down to the practice room in the dungeons, they met Draco Malfoy who wished them good luck for their Potion-making.  
  
Servana Abbott had asked him to visit her near the Ravenclaw Common Room, but he headed towards Troomveld's office first; he had something important to tell him. 


	12. The Potions Practice

THE POTIONS PRACTICE ====================  
  
Since her very first day at Hogwarts, Avara had been Professor Snape's favourite student, outgrowing by far her cousin Malfoy. That was one of the reasons why the teacher had given her the fifth-year lessons schedule, which she had studied thoroughly. She used it to prepare the upcoming classes, suggesting Snape or the other students other useful related potions, or ways to increase their efficiency.  
  
As far as she could remember, she had been waiting for the potion on tomorrow's schedule all her life and was very excited to be able to do the exercise with Harry.  
  
Severus Snape had allowed them to borrow his office in the dungeons, where they could find all necessary ingredients. He would be retiring to his private chamber a few corridors away.  
  
Harry really enjoyed doing his homework with his green-eyed Slytherin friend. She was undeniably as good as Hermione, perhaps because she trusted her intuitions more than lifeless books. Besides, Avara seemed to be the perfect mate for potions. He still had something to get mended after all the annoying questions he had asked her at the banquet about her supposedly evil family.  
  
When they entered Snape's office, they realized that candlelights were still glinting in the room, casting flickering shadows on the shelves, bringing dozens of translucent jars holding the most appalling creatures to a sort of half-life.  
  
In front of the shelves stood Snape's desk, a large oak table covered with a thin coat of finest dragon leather. The Potions Master had left a note:  
  
  
  
"You should find the Wiggentree Bark in one of the drawers on the right. As for the Pavot Nectar and the Devilberries, they will probably be on the second shelf from the top.  
  
Good luck,  
  
Severus Snape"  
  
In the middle of the room, a massive cast iron cauldron was standing majestically, waiting to come to life with fine heating and powerful mixtures.  
  
Avara examined the cauldron to check if it was solid enough to brew one of the most potent potions known to mankind. She turned towards Harry:  
  
"Make yourself ate ease, give me your cloak, I'll lay it on Snape's desk and fetch the ingredients," she said, taking off her green winter cloak, revealing a fine black satin robe.  
  
"Oh, and we have a guest star tonight, his name: Malachius" - She pulled the still sleeping snakelet out of her sleeve - "I fear we'll have to wait past midnight until that lazy git wakes up!" she said, half smirking half ashamed of her pet's lethargy and lay him on the desk. There he coiled over himself, moaning.  
  
Without reading Snape's note, she moved toward the shelves and took the necessary ingredients for the potion:  
  
"Ah.here are the Devilberries", she said, taking a jar full of dark red, spiky, pimento-shaped fruits and that black liquor. I'll be damned if it is not Pavot Nectar! Take them, Harry, I bring the Wiggentree Bark chips"  
  
Harry put the three ingredients on the working bench while Avara fetched a suitable ladle among Snape's belongings.  
  
"So, Harry, tonight we will be brewing the Seventh-Sense potion. This is a very strong concoction indeed, whose purpose is to extend each of our six senses; this is commonly used by spiritual communities to get closer to their deity."  
  
"Aha. sounds interesting. Have you already prepared it before?'  
  
"Yes, about a good dozen of times. It will be perfect, believe me." She seemed very self-assured. Then, using a low, mysterious voice, she said, her eyes glinting oddly "An interesting fact about the Seventh-Sense potion is that it makes a very good foundation for other fascinating draughts." she sounded more enthusiastic than Snape himself.  
  
"I trust you, Avara" replied Harry, not quite sure whether he meant it.  
  
"No, no, no, Harry, you ought not to trust me. Listen to the warnings that have been issued to you. Beware of the ill-famed Avara von Argentum of infamous lineage!" she said, smirking with a fainted threatening look in your eyes. "Back to serious things, can you please grind the Devilberries while I blend the mixture with the Pavot Nectar? We have to add them at the end"  
  
"Alright, young lady" said Harry, who began to squash the red and spiky Devilberries into smaller chunks. The smell of those fruits he had never seen in his life before was quite interesting, like a mix of chocolate, raspberry and hot spice. When he got a fine powder out of them, he handed the bowl to Avara, who decanted the powder into the quietly boiling potion.  
  
One hour later, the Seventh-Sense potion was ready. It was a translucent red and the Devilberries had conferred it that typical sweet and spicy smell, which was not unpleasant.  
  
"Very well" said Avara "we have succeeded in brewing that extremely difficult potion in.let me check.one hour and eleven minutes.not bad.what do you reckon, Harry?"  
  
"I am truly impressed, Avara. I would have needed at least five tries to figure out the right proportions."  
  
"Or maybe more!" she grinned "I for myself find that a little frustrating you know. I can feel the right ingredients mix immediately, and thus what I like in potions is when you discover new combinations, you realize that wellness is so close to death, that a hurricane can be caused by a butterfly, that your senses can be trapped by the most inoffensive powder, that you can turn poison into cure by enunciating the right spell. That is rewarding!"  
  
As she spoke those words, Harry could feel exactly what she meant, although she did not seem to be scared by those powers.  
  
"See the Seventh-sense potion - this is a good one by the way - we may need it to reach a much more gratifying, and yet more difficult goal." she said mysteriously.  
  
"Ah.I think Malachius must be awake now.Let me check the little fellow."  
  
She hovered fluidly in her black robe towards the desk. Indeed, the tiny Gem Snake had opened its silvery eyes and was slithering on the thin dragon leather cover on Snape's oak table, doing his nightly muscle training.  
  
"Are you alright, dear?"  
  
"Never better" hissed Malachius in Parseltongue. Avara rolled up her left sleeve and let him coil around her arm. She headed up for the shelves and climbed up a wooden ladder. The young Gryffindor asked her "What are you looking for Avara?"  
  
Not saying a word, she climbed down the ladder, holding a small dark vial in her hand. Its label was almost completely washed out but one could still read "powdered root of Asphodel", an ingredient usually used in sleeping potions. She put the dark vial on the working bench, along with a yet smaller vial filled with some viscous silvery substance.  
  
"Well, I had told you that the best things you don't learn in books, Harry. Let me show you what I haven't learned at Hogwarts"  
  
She added three drops of the scintillating silvery substance to the Seventh- Sense potion, two spoonfuls of Asphodel, and stirred the resulting mixture for a few minutes. Harry was looking at her awestruck: she really knew what she was doing, not even needing a single Potions breviary to find the right proportions.  
  
"Harry, could you please keep tabs on the cauldron while I get the last ingredient? It's important the potion be a dark, emerald green, alright?"  
  
"But what are we brewing?"  
  
"You'll know when it is ready" she said with a smile on her face, avoiding further questioning  
  
Harry tried to keep an eye on Avara and the potion at the same time, which was not easy.  
  
"Look over there, Harry, my slithering friend is about to be milked"  
  
She was now rolling up her sleeve completely, revealing the most delicate skin Harry had ever seen: her porcelain completion let her look so fragile and yet he could feel her incredible strength. She used Parseltongue to speak to Malachius "I'm ready, you can do it. Now!"  
  
The snake seized her wrist swiftly in his fang and bit her. Green droplets of venom where dripping from her hand. A strong feeling of guilt and fear was now overwhelming Harry; what if something went wrong? Why didn't he prevent her from acting so dangerously? He was trying not to think about the detention Snape would be granting him with. But suddenly he remembered what Avara had told him about Malachius being a Gem Snake. If it was true, she would not be harmed.  
  
Indeed, she came back grinning with a few Malachite stones in her hand. Malachius's silvery eyes were now a pale translucent grey, he was feeling completely drained and fell immediately asleep.  
  
In contrast, Harry had never seen the snake's mistress so beautiful and so tranquil as she was now: her long jet-black hair was now thousands of thin, shiny satin threads alike, and her eyes expressed a mixed feeling of ecstasy and satisfaction. If Harry had not known her so well, he could have thought it was an evil contentment, like the one that comes over you when someone you hate gets harmed or dies. But Avara would never feel anything like that with him.  
  
"Oh yes, Harry, this is truly Malachite, I hope you remember what I told you about my serpent"  
  
"Sure" lied Harry "So.What are those ingredients for?"  
  
"The Inmentus Potion. Probably one of the most potent and difficult draughts in the history of witchcraft and wizardry"  
  
"Aha.and. what does it do?" asked Harry, manifestly impressed.  
  
"It extends your mind and consciousness. The feeling is greater than anything you can imagine, perhaps because it alters the way you imagine. As such it reaches way further than the Seventh-Sense potion.But Snape would never have let us distill it. If you mix it wrong, you can be blinded to death" she said, turning the Malachite stones to powder with her bare hands as if there was nothing more natural. She decanted the fine powder into the dark emerald liquid.  
  
Harry looked bewildered at the result : the potion began to sparkle vividly and turned to a bright green, with purple fumes. It dispersed an ensnaring scent which reminded him of figs, spice and pepper.  
  
  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile in the Gryffindor dormitory, Hermione and Parvati Patil were the only girls still awake, finishing their homework about coffee mark divination. Professor Trelawney's classes were by far the ones Hermione disliked most, being unable to find suitable answers in the Library. But Parvati was feeling tired and decided to go to sleep.  
  
Hermione put on her pyjamas and did apparently the same. When she made sure that everyone was deeply slumbering, she pulled out from under her bed a roll of parchment that Moody had given her early in the evening with the results of his research.  
  
She walked silently into the boy's room to wake up Ron, and the two of them took a seat in front of the fireplace. A few logs were still glowing faintly.  
  
"Look, Ron! That's what Moody found out about dark ways to Mind Control. He told me that one of the topics had required Professor Dumbledore's help because only he could enlighten Moody on this singular matter."  
  
She began to read:  
  
"The three ways to Mind Control using Dark Arts,  
  
~The Imperius Curse~  
  
belongs to the Three Unforgivable Curses. Effects: allows the wizard to take possession of the subject's mind. Clues: The subject shows dilated pupils, the wizard must keep eye contact on the subject. Difficulty: middle to long practice with the Dark Arts. Remedy: Psychic resistance.  
  
~The Compatio Potion~  
  
belongs to a series of harmful mixtures known as the Potiones Tenebrarum or "Dark Draughts". Effects: The subject behaves as if following his own desire would make someone he loves suffer the most atrocious pain. Thus, the only alternative for the subject to make the beloved one happy is to follow the wizard's will. Clues: unpredictable behaviour from the subject, expressions of pain or sorrow on his face. The wizard must keep eye contact. Difficulty: very difficult to brew. Ten wizards, currently imprisoned in Azkaban, have reported using it on their victims, in Amazonia or Birma, where Malachite is produced, one of the essential ingredients of this potion. Voldemort is supposedly able to brew it too, although this could not be confirmed. Remedy : the Potion of Will  
  
~The Inmentus Potion~  
  
no-one is sure that this potion ever exists. The first and last time it was mentioned was through Salazar Slytherin's mouth. There is no scripture, nothing written about this draught, neither ingredients nor proportions. It is believed to allow the wizard enter the subject's mind to perform the most atrocious psychic tortures. Foes of Salazar Slytherin say he had created this potion. No one this day is known for brewing this infamous draught but Salazar himself, Voldemort confessed that he had tried to find the formula, without success. Rumored ingredients are Devilberries and Malachite. Remedy : none"  
  
  
  
"Hmm. What do you reckon, Hermione?" asked Ron  
  
"Well I would have bet that someone was using the Imperius Curse on Harry to make him lose control of his broom and be defeated during the match. But I'm sure of one thing: his pupils were not dilated."  
  
"Right, he seemed exhausted but not drugged."  
  
"And you read like me the second item, only the most powerful wizards can use it and they're all now in Azkaban.except maybe Voldemort..I think I've be wrong about Avara. She surely is brilliant but I doubt she would be able to perform anything like that at all. And, pardon me, Malachite is quite hard to find", said Hermione, starting to think about other possible explanations "But then Voldemort."  
  
"Maybe Miss Skeeter was right, Harry was simply in love with her and unable to concentrate on the game."  
  
  
  
***  
  
While the two fifth-years were in the dungeon, Severus Snape was preparing tomorrow's lesson about the Seventh-Sense potion in his private chamber.  
  
He began to read Salazar Slytherin's book of Potions, the most comprehensive book on the subject ever. Under the chapter devoted to the Seventh-Sense potion, he noticed that Slytherin had written a few lines using weird, spiky symbols, the written form of Parseltongue.He started concentrating on the words, trying to decipher them. The writer explained how he had been able to change the potion into some other dreadful draught, by adding three mysterious ingredients to it, which he did not wish to reveal. The cryptic words ended approximately thus "I doubt that other wizards than me will be able to brew it and it may be better that way".  
  
He shut the book and suddenly thought of Avara. Maybe she was able to brew such a potion.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"The Inmentus Potion will let you reach the unknown realms of your mind, nothing will be the same again." she said in a deep soothing voice  
  
Harry remembered Sirius's warning. He couldn't imagine that his godfather had made up the whole story and was misleading him to distrust Avara.  
  
"Tell me, Avara, what makes me think you're not trying to poison me or.kill me?"  
  
"Me? Poison you? Ah, Harry, be serious. I am unable to harm you.You know what I feel for you. Look, I'm going to drink it first, so you'll see there is no danger. I've done this a few times. If I were you, I would really give it a try, for you will not have another chance, me being the only witch or wizard that can distill it. Give me that spoon!" she said, swallowing avidly the green spicy potion.  
  
Harry was watching her, waiting for something terrible to happen, but all he could see was that Avara seemed extremely satisfied. Was it the effect of the potion or simply because she waited for him to drink it?  
  
Harry brought the ladle close to his lips and began to sip the potion. Although it first tasted like pepper and figs, it seemed to him that it was the best draught he had ever tasted. His senses seemed to drift away, as if they were extending onto many dimensions, in a feeling of almightiness. His thoughts were swirling through his mind, but he could not master them. He was about to fall down, not an unpleasant feeling, but soon he realized that he was not alone in the room: Avara was standing close to him, not saying anything. He grabbed her thin hand, hoping that feeling her body could bring him back to the realms of reality.  
  
"Can you feel your mind opening, Harry?"  
  
"Umm. I think so.It's wonderful."  
  
"Just concentrate on something.Something you have forgotten and wish to recall"  
  
"Okay" he said, still holding Avara's hand firmly. He felt like a flash inside his head. He was now watching his parents' death one more time. In Technicolour. He could almost smell the almond cake his mother had cooked for dinner. It was the same scene he had gazed at inside Avara's eyes, except every tiny detail was there.And Voldemort was there too, the human form of Voldemort, which seemed now strangely familiar to him. Stop. Rewind. Another scene. Voldemort again, a young baby with jet black hair and purple eyes. Two grown-up people standing behind the baby, raven-like with black hair. Man and woman. The woman has purple eyes too. A snake. No, two. A big and a small one. The baby bitten by the small snake. Flash. Reality.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Harry" she said. "I have to do it"  
  
Harry did not have the faintest idea about what she meant. The pictures in his mind disappeared, he could not resist to whatever happened to him. Darkness. Not completely?  
  
Suddenly the door to Snape's office burst open and Harry recognized Renatus Troomveld, the newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in his brown leather coat, holding his walking stick in his hand.  
  
"Avara von Argentum, what are you doing?" 


	13. The Master of Thorns

THE MASTER OF THORNS ====================  
  
Calmly, the sly, raven-haired girl turned back: "I was awaiting you, Renatus. I'm glad to see you are right on time", she said, staring at the teacher with a look of achievement on her face.  
  
"Very well. Let me see."  
  
Troomveld seized Harry's wrist and checked his pulse. The young Gryffindor was lying on the cold stone floor, his body in a state close to catalepsy.  
  
Avara was looking at the scene with interest, her eyes a bright flickering green as the Inmentus Potion was crawling through her veins, revealing her deepest powers. For a second, she entered a state of introspection; she wondered whether she'd not better use those powers to change the plan and kill Troomveld. But that's not what she had sworn under oath to Salazar Slytherin. Her ambition would have to wait a little longer.  
  
She finally withdrew her wand from her black witch robe. Troomveld seemed curious "So, which one did you choose?", he asked.  
  
"Ollivander knew exactly which wand would be the right one for me, after what Lucius had told him. Mine is 9,5", rigid ebony, and - naturally - filled with a Dark Veela hair"  
  
"Oh I see. Your grandmother was a Dark Veela too."  
  
"Exactly, Renatus. And this is the only wand robust enough to withstand the curse" she said confidently.  
  
"Avara.Avara. if you were not on my side, I would kill you."  
  
"Please.I'm flattered", she smiled mysteriously, while her mind was digressing about killing him. "Shall we proceed?" she then asked.  
  
She and Troomveld held the wand together and spoke the curse:  
  
"Be under the spell of the snakes  
  
Betray your friends' kind  
  
Brew the lethal potion  
  
For the Lord of Darkness  
  
To enter your mind"  
  
Suddenly Harry felt an itching pain on his scar, a suffering deeper than anything he had endured before. His vision was now a blurred red, he could feel the taste of blood on his tongue.  
  
"Harry can you hear us?" asked Avara, her voice soft as honey.  
  
He perceived her voice as if he were under water; yet, he could still recognize her sparkling green eyes in that crimson ocean. "Avara? Where are you? Help me!" he yelled.  
  
"I fear I can't.All I can do is keep you alive for a few minutes. We do not want you to leave us right now."  
  
"But.why?" asked what remained of Harry's voice.  
  
"You are thirsty to know, eh, Harry? Alright, maybe this will enlighten you. After all, you deserve to know why you will die."  
  
Harry felt Avara's voice drifting away then come nearer to him, like an infinite circle of ebb and tide. She explained:  
  
"You remember when I told you that you were a descendant of the Great Salazar Slytherin? Well, that was true - I don't like to lie - This explains, yet partly, your imminent death. Now, the crux is that you are also the heir of Godric Gryffindor, Salazar's greatest foe. Our master does not want such an impure blood to be mixed with his noble powers. That's why Voldemort tried to kill you when you were still a baby, and that's why we will kill you tonight."  
  
"Voldemort had a vision fourteen years ago, the day before you defeated him. Salazar commanded him to visit my parents, who were his former schoolmates at Hogwarts, for a child would be born that night.  
  
He came with Nagini, the royal snake the Master had offered him when he buried Tom Riddle to become Lord Voldemort, and Nagini had given birth a few months earlier to Malachius, which was there too and.seems to like you by the way."  
  
Harry thought he was having a dreadful nightmare where he was burning in Hell and where Avara was one of the Devil's Succubi.  
  
"That night, I was born at Argentum Manor, near Silberberg in Germany. I was a Dark Veela, with jet black hair and purple eyes, like all great women in my family, thus particularly gifted for the Dark Arts. Voldemort approached me with Malachius and the snake bit me, infiltrating me with his precious venom, conferring me those unfathomable eyes and the knowledge of my ancestor.  
  
Salazar Slytherin had chosen me, his second pure-blood heir.  
  
He knew I would be one of the greatest potion makers in the history of wizardry. My powers combined to Voldemort's would kill you this time, even if it took fourteen years to accomplish this task."  
  
Although it seemed to Harry that all that was a gigantic hallucination, he hazarded to ask, his scar still intensely hurting:  
  
"But how are you going to kill me? Avada Kedavra does not seem to work against me."  
  
"Yes.and no.It could work if you were weak enough. That's where the Inmentus Potion comes in.It does expand your mind - there I didn't lie either - and more than that: it gives Voldemort the key to enter your mind and let you endure the most exquisite torture and pain imaginable. I would have never been able to do that to you, Harry.  
  
But it has to be done, in the memory of the Great Salazar."  
  
Harry moved his lips faintly "Tell me...How come the potion does not kill you?"  
  
Avara smiled "Do you really think our Master would invent a draught that could harm him or his true heirs? Oh, and there is one more thing: the Inmentus Potions only works if the subject is already in a state of confusion and betrayal. Exactly the state you're in, Harry, after I made you lose the match against your own team, after I managed to divert you from your best friends. And that silvery substance.", she said pointing at the small vial on the bench, "is a fluid made out of Voldemort's mind. This creates the mental bond between you and him"  
  
Between two flashes of pain, Harry started to realize what was happening. Avara noticed that and smiled.  
  
"And nobody knows we're here. Except Cousin Draco and Snape, who will do nothing to stop us from doing it."  
  
"Goodbye, Harry Potter. I couldn't stand seeing you in agony, screaming for help that will never come. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed"  
  
She headed towards the door, and hid Malachius inside her sleeve. Turning to Troomveld, she said "Renatus, stop playing with him for a moment, please, I still have something to do"  
  
And with a flick of the wrist, she aimed her wand at Harry and enunciated "Oblivius!"  
  
  
  
***  
  
Harry looked all around him. He was obviously in Snape's office. What had happened? How did he come to the dungeons? Did Avara know that he was here? He could feel his head burning with pain. Troomveld was in the room too, maybe he could help him?  
  
"Professor Troomveld? What are we doing here?"  
  
"Hmm.Remarkable" said Troomveld, whose voice was not as silky and clear as usual. He was still admiring the effects of Avara's curse and his eyes were glowing slightly red.  
  
"Here we meet again, Harry Potter!" hissed his voice, now almost disembodied.  
  
It seemed to Harry that is scar was being branded with a white-hot iron. He felt a cold chill down his spine, for this voice he knew only too well:  
  
"You.are.Voldemort?"  
  
"How brilliant." the teacher smirked, "Renatus Troomveld.Troomveld is Voldemort in disguise and. Renatus stands for reborn.You disappoint me, Potter. I was hoping you to be swifter this time. Anyway, your time has come to die."  
  
"Does Avara know who you are? Where is she?"  
  
"Tut, tut, Potter. Don't be so emotive. That girl does not know who I am, she's so pure!", he lied. He then added "She must be sleeping like the other Slytherins. Now shut up".  
  
He spoke "Inmentus" and a silver flash of light with green sparks burst out of his wand, violently hitting Harry's scar.  
  
The young Gryffindor had never felt such an intense agony, it was even worse than the Cruciatus curse, like thousands of sharp needles striking every single nerve with the most intense pain. Voldemort had managed to violate his mind. He was confusing his senses, alternating extreme fever with ice cold; torturing different parts of his body through is mind: eyes, spine, fingers. He could also force the most horrible nightmares into Harry's brain.  
  
It was much more that the young boy could bear. At the gates of utter exhaustion, Harry gathered enough forces to speak to Voldemort within his mind. All that mattered to him was to stay alive as long as possible. Maybe someone would help him after all.  
  
"Voldemort! You parasite! You only live because my blood flows through your veins. You are as mortal as I am." The effects of the Dark Lord's tortures were diminishing for Voldemort was getting angry at the boy's words.  
  
"That was true, Harry Potter, while you were still alive. But with you dead, the bond will be broken and I will be free forever."  
  
Harry noticed that talking to Voldemort eased his own pain. He continued: "How did you manage to get into Hogwarts?"  
  
"Let me show you" hissed Voldemort, and he leveraged the appropriate patterns within Harry's mind to replay the scene. Harry was now watching the Flamel's bedroom. Both Nicolas and his wife Pernelle were deeply asleep. Then a green shadow crouched behind the window and let a big snake crawl into the room. The snake slithered towards the bed, strangled Nicolas Flamel to death and left the room as fast as it came in.  
  
The picture vanished.  
  
Voldemort explained "I had a personal revenge against Flamel. He had destroyed the Philosopher's stone, my dream of immortality! So I let Nagini kill him. This was also a perfect reason for Dumbledore to visit his poor old widow tonight.and for me to be free to act!"  
  
"It's revolting!" said Harry, visibly disgusted. But he was stricken by an atrocious pain again; Voldemort had to weaken him enough to perform the Killing Curse. He performed the worst tortures against him, enjoying the sight of Harry howling like insane and pleading for mercy.  
  
"I was wondering how long you could remain in that tangent state.so close to death.and yet still alive.It's quite pleasant to watch, actually, please don't stop."  
  
At those words, Harry tried to focus on the happiest moments of his life to fight the pain. He recalled his first night in the dungeons with Avara and Malachius. By the way, where was she? Hopefully Voldemort had not lied and she was sleeping quietly, away from all this.  
  
And what about Ron and Hermione? Although he had not been talking to them since their dispute during the night of the Slytherin banquet, he understood what he felt for them and that he missed them too. He closed his eyes.  
  
For the first time in his life, he was wishing he were dead.  
  
  
  
***  
  
In the meantime, Ron and Hermione had been unable to sleep because of their recent discoveries regarding mind control. Still, they could not come up with a logical explanation of what had happened. So they had decided to play a game of wizard's chess in front of the fireplace, comfortably seated in the big velvet armchairs.  
  
Suddenly, Ron realized something "Hermione! When you woke me up, Harry was not in his bed!"  
  
"That's true Ron! We were so focused on our stuff that we didn't think it was not normal. But where is he?"  
  
Harry hadn't told anyone about his Potions practice with Avara.  
  
"I don't know, maybe he has been invited to the Slytherin Common Room by You-Know-Who, no, not that one, the other You-Know-Who! Maybe she poisoned him?"  
  
"Be serious, Hermione! I really don't think she's evil. But you're right, let's ask Snape. He might know what's going on"  
  
When they arrived in front of Snape's office, they read a sign telling them the Potions master had retired to his private chambers. They hurried up and knocked heavily on the door.  
  
Severus Snape shut his Potions book and opened the door, with a fainted air of surprise on his face.  
  
"Ms Granger, Mr. Weasley. May I ask you what you are up to in the dungeons so late at night? That'll be twenty p."  
  
"Professor Snape," cut Hermione, "we have come here for important matters, it has nothing to do with House Points!"  
  
"What is it? I'm listening." asked Snape, his pitch black eyes narrowing with interest  
  
"Harry Potter is missing in the Gryffindor boys dormitory.Ahem.Well, we thought he might be with.Avara von Argentum and maybe you could help us find him"  
  
"Hmm.Why would he be with her?" asked Snape suspiciously, perfectly knowing that both fifth years had been training in his office for tomorrow's class.  
  
"Actually, Harry spends a lot of time with Ms von Argentum" confessed Hermione bitterly "But we think she's trying to play a bad trick on him"  
  
Snape did not want to take them into his office because he didn't want them to know he favoured other students. Yet he wanted to know why Potter had not returned to his dorm.  
  
"Alright", he said, "I can take you to the Slytherin Common Room and to the dormitory, so we'll see if Ms von Argentum or maybe Mr Potter are there."  
  
"OK, let's go," said Ron.  
  
They walked steadily in direction of the common room, guided by the smooth flickering of the corridor's candlelights. The stone serpent's eyes glowed when Snape spoke the password and the door opened majestically. Xaver Eldritch and another sixth-year Slytherin were rehearsing Transfiguration for tomorrow's lesson in the light of the green torches. They told Snape to walk silently inside the dorm because everyone else was sleeping.  
  
Ron, Hermione followed Professor Snape on tiptoes inside the girls' dormitory and indeed, the room was completely silent. Hermione and Ron looked at each other when they noticed that Avara von Argentum was lying in her bed, sleeping profoundly. "She does not look too mischievous when asleep", thought Hermione, obviously relieved that she was here.  
  
"Really, you shouldn't worry so much about her, Hermione, she's ok" said Ron.  
  
But Snape had not come to the same conclusion. He noticed that Malachius's eyes were very pale; he had been milked less than an hour ago. Suddenly, it became crystal-clear to him. She had brewed the Inmentus Potion.This was the way she had accomplished "a noble task" for Salazar Slytherin. He recalled what he had heard during his former Death Eaters meetings and what Hagrid wanted to warn the teachers about:  
  
"The heir of Slytherin will rise and defeat the light with the snake and the draught"  
  
They could not have meant Voldemort, for the Dark Lord was not a potions expert: he liked to curse and to kill, but was certainly not patient enough for potions making.  
  
Snape knew from the start Avara was the long awaited Nemesis, and he had done nothing to prevent her from acting. He had deeply hated Potter from the very first day he met him and was fascinated by the thought of his imminent death.  
  
And yet he could not let it happen in real life.  
  
Although he did not know the effects of the Inmentus potion, nor the antidote, he fathomed something terrible was happening.  
  
"I have to talk to Professor Dumbledore, right now" said Snape without further explanation. "Granger, Weasley, go back to your dormitory. I'll find Potter and let you know where he is"  
  
Without further ado, he ran as fast as he could up the giant staircase that led to the Headmaster's office, in a soft swishing of his black cloak. On the way, he bumped into Professor McGonagall who was on duty to patrol the corridors that night. Still under the shock, she mumbled:  
  
"Severus, I assume you were going to see Dumbledore. Let me inform you that he had to leave during the afternoon for urgent matters. May I help you instead?"  
  
"I fear you can't, Minerva" replied Snape sadly, already thinking that he would never be able to see his face in the mirror again.  
  
He hurried into the owlery and, visibly out of breath, took the first quill at his reach, a piece of purple parchment, and sent an urgent owl to Dumbledore with the following words:  
  
"Harry Potter in deadly danger.  
  
Please Apparate now in the owlery.  
  
Yours,  
  
Severus Snape" 


	14. Of Deceit and Treachery

OF DECEIT AND TREACHERY =======================  
  
Since his arrival in Paris, Dumbledore had tried to find the right words to soothe Pernelle's sorrow. Her husband Nicolas Flamel, one of the 14th century's greatest alchemists, had destroyed the Philosopher's Stone that provided them both with the elixir of life; they had given up immortality and chosen to die a quiet and peaceful death.  
  
And Nicolas had left this world unexpectedly last night.  
  
When he had examined the body, the old, wise man noticed that it had been strangled to death, although the strangulation marks were ingeniously concealed. Who would be capable of committing such a heinous crime? One name and no other came to his mind: Voldemort. Albus Dumbledore could not decently reveal Pernelle the truth about her husband's death.  
  
They were both having a last cup of tea in front of the dimly glowing fireplace before going to bed. Pernelle Flamel slowly started to realize that her husband was no more, and that lamenting would not bring him back to life.  
  
She took Albus's hand and nodded gently, as to thank him for his presence and to show him that she understood what he meant, when suddenly a purple envelope burst through the chimney hearth and slapped Dumbledore in the face. "Gentle, gentle" said the old wizard, visibly disgruntled, and he unsealed the envelope with his wrinkly fingers. The seal he recognized easily. Split in four quarters: lion, serpent, badger and eagle united by a big, capital "H" formed the Hogwarts emblem.  
  
As he began to read the letter, his face turned stern: he realized that he surely had been lured away from Hogwarts to free the path for the Dark Forces.  
  
  
  
With an expression of deep regret on his face, he turned towards the old, mourning widow.  
  
"Pernelle, I have to leave you precipitately. I'm so sorry. It seems somebody deliberately abused our feelings - your sorrow and my compassion - to infiltrate Hogwarts with chaos and atrocious misdemeanor." He shook his head.  
  
"But, Albus, who can be cruel enough to forge such a malevolent plan?"  
  
"My dear friend, I've spent my life learning how to deal with the realms of the Dark Arts. You'd be surprised by the villainy of some Dark wizards. Some are highly intelligent, yes, and literate too; some could even be very interesting allies, if they did not use their abilities to pursue evil goals."  
  
"Alright, Albus. If you have to go, I understand," she said, slightly sobbing. "I appreciate that you came here tonight. Take care"  
  
With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore disappeared from Pernelle's living room in a burst of golden sparks.  
  
  
  
***  
  
At the same time, in the Hogwarts owlery, a similar plethora of sparks transformed into the blurred shape of the Headmaster, who soon materialized completely. All around, the frightened owls moved aside to make place for the arrival of the old wizard.  
  
Severus Snape was walking back and forth since his letter had left the owlery, plagued with remorse and guilt for what he had consented. The headmaster's presence relieved him swiftly from his burden.  
  
"I hope this is important" said Dumbledore slightly irritated and ill-at- ease for leaving Pernelle alone.  
  
Draped in his black cloak, as to hide from his own ignominy, Snape welcomed him: "Professor Dumbledore, I'm worried about Renatus Troomveld. I think he may be someone else than he pretends to be."  
  
"What do you mean, Severus?"  
  
"Miss von Argentum came to me after she and Harry Potter had finished their homework. She told me that Troomveld had wanted to talk to Potter in private. And since that time, the boy did not show up in his dormitory." He paused, waiting for Dumbledore's reaction, which did not come.  
  
"I'm rarely mistaken," said Snape, "I suggest we have a look at the Hogwarts register".  
  
Dumbledore hesitated. After all, it was not the first time Snape deprecated the newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, for he had been coveting the job for ages himself.  
  
"Why should we do that? I've been testing him for two hours; he made me a good impression and seemed to know the Dark Arts and the counter-curses very well, believe me."  
  
Snape, who perfectly knew the bare truth, was confident. "If I'm wrong, you can hire a new teacher for Potions"  
  
"Alright", said Dumbledore, resigned. They both headed to his office in Gryffindor Tower, where he kept the Hogwarts Register. Dumbledore and McGonagall had used it to read the Magical Quill's description of new students before the Sorting Ritual. Avara von Argentum being the only recruit from another wizarding school, they should be able to find something about Troomveld.  
  
To Snape's greatest surprise, there was a "Renatus Troomveld" filed in Slytherin; he was registered fifty years earlier.  
  
"There" said the Headmaster, but before he could finish his sentence, Snape had already moved on to letter "R"  
  
"Look, Professor, said the Potions teacher, the entry for "Tom Riddle" has vanished, exactly what I guessed!"  
  
"Do you mean, Severus, that Troomveld is actually Voldemort?"  
  
"Exactly. Moreover, I can feel it since he came to Hogwarts", he said, rolling up his sleeve. The Dark Mark on his arm had turned pitch black and was glowing more vividly than ever.  
  
"Well, we can't afford waiting any longer." said Dumbledore.  
  
They hurtled down the imposing stairway in direction of Snape's office. The door was locked with a powerful curse but Dumbledore managed to open it with a wave of his wand.  
  
***  
  
Behind that door, Voldemort had kept tormenting his young foe continuously.  
  
"We are so alike, Harry, no wonder your mind reacts perfectly to my little games..."  
  
Harry was convulsing with pain under the Dark Lord's strong psychic attacks.  
  
When Voldemort noticed that Harry's body was merely shivering, unable to resist this agony any longer, he receded from Harry's mind for his victim to become conscious of his imminent death.  
  
Voldemort grasped his yew wand, which he had laid on the bench. He had never felt such intense satisfaction for his time had finally come to exterminate the cause of his past decline. He raised his left hand, aiming the wand at the boy and spoke the cursed words "Avada Ke..."  
  
Suddenly, the door slammed open and Dumbledore hit the Dark wizard with a strong Petrificus hex in the back. Lord Voldemort knew how to recover from those simple curses fast. He stood up again, a look of fury flashing from his blood red eyes.  
  
"You can't use Avada Kedavra to kill him, can you?" asked Dumbledore, suddenly worried.  
  
"I can very well use it, if I infect his mind with the Inmentus Potion first to weaken him", smirked the Dark Lord.  
  
At those words, the Headmaster's face turned livid.  
  
Before he could realize what was happening, he heard Voldemort speak "Similis Mutandum".  
  
He knew that the Dark wizard would not try to attack him, but he did not expect him to use such a cunning trick. For before him stood another Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"So, Albus, what are you going to do? Kill me? This would deprive you of your own life. Curse me? The curse would hit you back... You'd better let me go, believe me"  
  
Dumbledore's mind was running at high revs, trying to figure out a way to counter his enemy's plan. But Voldemort was being so completely right. Similis Mutandum worked only within eye-contact reach but it was a bond much more powerful than the Polyjuice Potion, linking the subject and the wizard by fate. He was tempted to try to kill him, but the ignorance of the outcome prevented him from going further.  
  
"Go away Voldemort, you are here unwelcome" he said, a perceptible tone of rage and resignation in his voice.  
  
Dumbledore's replica showed a grin on his face. He left the room walking backwards, in order to keep his model within eye-reach.  
  
When he was close enough to the door, Voldemort embraced his incorporeal form of a silvery specter with gloomy red eyes and escaped, sliding swiftly away. The bodily envelope of Dumbledore collapsed on the floor, gradually transforming into Renatus Troomveld's dead corpse.  
  
The Dark Lord's left a last message, his angular, ethereal voice echoing threateningly from the distance :  
  
"Death Eaters are everywhere. Even in places where you least expect them"  
  
A few minutes later, Snape joined Dumbledore in the office. The head wizard looked despaired: "Poor boy. He's so close to death that we might lose him.The boy must live!"  
  
Thinking about Voldemort's words, he then asked "So the Inmentus Potion really exists? It's not a myth?"  
  
"I fear not, Professor. While I was preparing tomorrow's lesson with the book of Salazar Slytherin, I came across a few lines in Parseltongue dealing with that potion. Unfortunately, no remedy was mentioned., Have you read anything about it yet?"  
  
"Actually, I've been helping Moody on a research about Mind Control, and that's where I read about it first."  
  
Pressing the palm of his hand on the wall , the Headmaster muttered "Per Murum, Accio Spellbook" and went on:  
  
"What you just said, Severus, sounds really interesting. I was not aware that there was a written variant of Parseltongue. If this is what I think, we may find additional information about that draught in that booklet."  
  
He was now holding a tiny, ancient book in his hand. With its torn, green leather cover, it looked like an old diary.  
  
"This," he said "is supposed to be the diary of Salazar Slytherin at the time Hogwarts was founded. I never knew it was in my office until last week. It did not help me much, for I was unable to decipher it, but I guess it is written Parseltongue as you mentioned." He handed the opus to Professor Snape, who was looking fascinated by the book, one of the few Slytherin belongings that he didn't own. "I guess you should have no problem with its hidden meaning, Severus"  
  
"Hmm... Let me see" said Snape leafing through the diary with a perplex glare.  
  
"Potiones Tenebrarum... Compatio... Ah...I have something about Inmentus...Probably my most remarkable and powerful potion ever..." he translated darkly, reading Salazar's writings "infiltrate the subject's mind, possible uses: extreme pain, implied madness, psychic torture... Remedy: why would I need one? But I guess Phoenix tears and Malachite could produce a suitable antidote."  
  
Dumbledore and Snape looked at each other.  
  
"We must try this out," said the old wizard, "but where can we find Malachite now? My old friend Raj must be sleeping now"  
  
"Professor, I think I have some Malachite left in my private chamber. I'll get the stones while you get the tears from your Phoenix. Let's meet here again when we're done so we can prepare the remedy."  
  
Casting his bat-like shadow on the candle-lit walls, Snape rushed into his private chamber. From there, he opened the secret doorway leading to the Slytherin dormitory.  
  
Silently, he approached Avara. Her pale skin was contrasting nicely with her jet-black hair between the sheets. He was troubled for a moment by her breath and woke her up with a whisper: "Avara von Argentum, I need Malachite from your snake, right now. For your own safety."  
  
"Ah Severus, I was wondering when you would be visiting me tonight. What are you going to do? Give me in to Dumbledore? No... It would be like admitting your own guilt", she sneered, her voice strangely intense and crystalline, though she just woke up from deep slumber.  
  
"Enough Avara, we're running out of time."  
  
"Agreed. I'll be right back", she said, taking Malachius with her into the next room. A few moments later, she came back, handing a few greenish stones to Professor Snape, who examined them suspiciously before leaving the room.  
  
"I've always been the one who gets away with it, Severus", she smiled at the black-clad teacher. 


	15. A New Beginning

A NEW BEGINNING ===============  
  
The Potions master came back to his office, his hand clenched over the valuable green stones. Meanwhile, Albus Dumbledore had managed to collect a few silvery tears from Fawkes, his faithful phoenix. The delicate, sensitive bird had already contributed to saving Harry Potter's life three years before; thus, he could not refrain from weeping a continuous lachrymal flow when the Hogwarts Headmaster had told him about the boy's agony in the dungeons.  
  
Both professors were now looking worried at Harry, who was still infected by the virulence of the Inmentus Potion. His body was huddled up, trembling on the paved floor... He had merely enough strength to keep his blood red eyes half-open.  
  
Snape took a small wooden bowl and started to mix the powdered Malachite stones and the phoenix tears together. The most difficult part was to find the right proportions. Maybe Salazar Slytherin had left a clue in his diary. He seized the small, green book on the bench and began reading the serpentine words. Nothing useful could be found in the chapter dedicated to the Inmentus Potion. Still, leafing through the diary, he noticed that the first pages of the book contained also writings in Parseltongue.  
  
"If I shall invert my draughts, the colour I shall invert too"  
  
This was a clue not easy to follow. For if Slytherin was right, the remedy for the Inmentus Potions should be a vivid purple. He would have to try out several combinations to find the right colour. After a few minutes, he assessed his mixture had a reached a satisfying hue. Carefully, he came close to Harry. Sustaining his back with his hand, he fed him the concoction. Dumbledore and the Potions master were still nervous, although they knew that Phoenix tears would prevent the mixture from bad side effects anyway.  
  
After a few never-ending minutes, they noticed that Harry's eyes were opening slightly wider. The blood within seemed to recede as well, conferring them a more expressive look.  
  
Finally, the boy opened his mouth. A faint whisper came out "Professor Dumbledore? What.What am I doing here?"  
  
"Harry, please keep your strengths. Don't talk. We're going to take you to Mrs Pomfrey's. Everything is going to be alright".  
  
Snape fed him another spoonful of his mixture and said to Dumbledore darkly "I assume you don't need me anymore". The Headmaster nodded "Thank you Severus, thank you very much for your help". Snape hovered away in his billowing black cloak.  
  
Then, for a short instant, the picture of the ancient, green-clad Dark wizard filled his sight. "Severus Snape, if you choose the wrong side, I swear nothing will be able to save you, not even your potions" hissed the representation of Salazar Slytherin.  
  
The Potions teacher was feeling depressed, unworthy of living, because of his treachery towards his own House. He bucked his head and spoke humbly "Forgive me, Master Slytherin".  
  
Then, the Dark Mark on his forearm started burning more intensely than ever, as if Voldemort was warning him that he would perhaps not forgive him for his betrayal. But as long as Dumbledore was at Hogwarts, Snape knew he was safe from the Dark Lord's malevolence.  
  
***  
  
In the meantime, Dumbledore had brought Harry into the Nursery, using one of his useful levitation charms.  
  
"Poppy, that young boy needs a lot of rest" said Dumbledore. "Please provide him with a very quiet room".  
  
"Sure Albus, you can count on me to treat him right" said the nurse  
  
During the next two days, rumors were haunting the Hogwarts corridors and rooms about Harry's vanishing.  
  
On a cloudy morning, the boy with the scar on his forehead finally opened his eyes, tucked up in confortable white sheets. Looking all around him, he recognized the warm, soothing atmosphere of the Nursery.  
  
"I must have been ill for a long time" he said to himself, wondering how his body could have become so frail. Still, he could not remember what had happened. He must have been feverish, for the only thing he recalled was going through a series of atrocious nightmares. But everything was over now. It had all been a bad dream.  
  
Someone knocked at the door. Poppy Pomfrey came into the room, along with Ron and Hermione, whose arms were packed with huge and numerous presents.  
  
"Harry! Are you O.K?" said Ron, hugging his old friend heartily.  
  
"So and so, Ron.But now that you're here, it can be only better"  
  
"There, I've brought a whole bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Take one, that'll cheer you up"  
  
Harry plunged his hand inside the bag and withdrew a grey bean "Hmm.Pepper. Interesting", he said, finding the taste strangely familiar. "Not what I had wished, though". The three Gryffindors burst out laughing.  
  
"Do you remember anything about what happened?" asked Hermione, still believing in some kind of conspiracy.  
  
Harry shook his head "Hmm. Not really. The only thing I recall are some really gruesome nightmares. Voldemort was there too, and I was plagued with pain." he hesitated for a short moment and decided not to tell Hermione about the other nightmares he remembered.  
  
Hermione thought suddenly of Moody's research and the Inmentus Potion. But she ousted that thought, for it was silly. That potion did not exist; it was merely an attempt of Salazar Slytherin to intimidate the other three Hogwarts founders.  
  
"Oh Harry," said Hermione, "I'm so glad too see that you're recovering quickly. I've been so childish with you during the past few weeks. I hope you pardon me. For a moment, I thought Avara would harm you'  
  
"You perfectly know I would not do such a thing, Hermione", said the limpid, deep voice that Hermione loathed.  
  
"Avara?" asked Harry, surprised.  
  
"For sure, Harry! Hope you're fine. Professor Snape told me you had been ill"  
  
"Hello Avara," said Ron shyly. He secretly hoped that Hermione had made up her mind and that he could now speak to the Slytherin girl without fearing the icing Pithy-glare his female friend was sometimes capable of. Avara beard that unreal expression of self-confidence on her face, as if nothing had happened two days before. She was wearing a silky satin robe and a striped Slytherin scarf, which were contrasting nicely with her perfectly combed jet-black hair. Yet, one was unable to tell what her peridot-green eyes were expressing; was she ashamed of having failed, happy that Harry was safe or already devising her next cunning plan?  
  
She reached out her hand to Hermione, grinning. Hermione accepted it, mainly because she didn't want Harry to believe that she was still being capricious.  
  
Avara took off her green and silver Slytherin scarf and handed it to Harry. "Take it, it'll keep you warm. And it is very valuable.For you could never get a genuine Slytherin scarf otherwise" she smiled.  
  
Harry wrapped himself in the scarf, smelling Avara's pure and spicy scent. Looking at the embroidered silvery crest with the serpent, he asked her in a low voice: "Avara, where is Malachius?"  
  
"Shh.Harry, don't speak. Keep your strengths. Malachius is feeling very tired. He's enjoying a well deserved sleep"  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other. "Malachius is her pet snake" said Ron. His friend shook her head. To avoid being excluded from their conversation, Ron spread a copy of the Wizard Times on Harry's bed.  
  
"Hey Harry! I've finally cancelled my Daily Prophet subscription"  
  
"Right you were, Ron! What's news?"  
  
"Look! Professor Troomveld, our new DADA teacher died mysteriously two days ago. The same night you fell ill."  
  
Harry, who was drinking the invigorating herbal tea Mrs Pomfrey had brought him, nearly choked.  
  
"Oh no! He seemed to know his stuff so good. This job is definitely cursed!"  
  
"I've heard Dumbledore will make a speech this afternoon before the Christmas holidays" said Hermione.  
  
"I hope you'll be there too, Harry. That's why we'd better let you put your strengths together. You need much rest", said Avara, holding his hand.  
  
When she left, Harry couldn't refrain from thinking about what he had omitted to tell Hermione. Avara had been very present in her nightmares too, revealing a frightening Dark side.  
  
***  
  
All Hogwarts students were gathering into the Great Hall for the winter solstice speech. The magical roof was decorated with an eerie canopy of stars; the room was lit by the hundreds of massive yule candles and filled with the scent of gingerbread.  
  
Draco Malfoy was holding Servana Abbott's hand. Avara had been right about them; they had a lot of things in common and Draco was delighted by the fact that his girlfriend descended from Rowena Ravenclaw in person.  
  
This time, the house banks were placed slightly differently. From left to right: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.  
  
The professors' assembly was there all together, but the seat of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher remained strangely empty.  
  
Once all students was seated, Dumbledore stood up majestically and addressed the young crowd  
  
"Ladies, Gentlemen. May I ask you for a few minutes silence and attention, please. Due to the recent happenings at Hogwarts, I'm contrite to announce you the vacancy of the Defense Against the Dark Arts job one more time. Professor Troomveld, who had successfully applied for the job and was about to start the lessons, died unexpectably two days ago. If you know someone qualified who likes risky jobs, please let me know about it. We need to find the new professor very quickly.  
  
Now on to a more cheerful subject: I would like to seize the opportunity to announce the preliminary results of the Hogwarts Quidditch House Cup.  
  
In fourth place, Hufflepuff with one hundred and fifty-four points."  
  
At the Hufflepuff table, all students were lowering their eyes. Ernie MacMillan, who did not miss an occasion to lecture others and praised himself for being so virtuous, was doing his best to avoid the glance of students from other houses.  
  
"In third place, Gryffindor with two hundred and twelve points."  
  
At those words, Professor Minerva McGonagall's face became sterner than ever. She had gotten used to Harry's exceptional seeker performance and it was the first time in five years that her own house was not taking the lead. Hermione was still furious about Harry but she did her best to hide it from her convalescent friend. Harry Potter, still afflicted by his illness, did not really seem to care. Fred and George Weasley noticed Hermione's refrained anger, though, and offered her a few Fizzing Whizbees to raise her spirits.  
  
"In second place, Ravenclaw with two hundred and eighty points" Among the blue-clad students, big applause could be heard. It was all directed towards Cho Chang, probably the best seeker in Ravenclaw's history. She had been deeply relieved when her housemate Servana Abbott confirmed that Avara and Harry were not dating each other and her Quidditch technique had bettered dramatically.  
  
"And in first place, Slytherin with three hundred and thirty-three points. Well done Slytherin! But don't rest on your laurels, next term will prove very challenging to all of you." said the Hogwarts Headmaster, looking intently in Malfoy's direction. As for Severus Snape, he was delighted for his house had proved its blatant superiority one more time.  
  
Avara was staring at Snape. Her ancestor Salazar had revealed to her how the teacher had behaved during that terrible night. But she couldn't be resentful to him, for his help had been more than valuable. The Potions master was glancing at her too; he knew she was indeed the Dark wizard mentioned in the prophecy. Full of awe and respect for her, and not devoid of shame, he lowered his eyes softly.  
  
At the Gryffindor table, Harry was somehow pleased by the outcome. He was feeling a growing sympathy for Slytherin House for he was now more or less part of it. He had even been initiated to the Banquet, one of the house's most secret rituals.  
  
"But for now enjoy your holidays! You have well deserved them". As Dumbledore ended his speech, there was a burst of joy among the students and the room was filled by hundreds of flying wizard hats.  
  
***  
  
Later on, Harry accompanied Hermione and Seamus Finnigan to the Entrance Hall, where the students were supposed to meet before taking the boat back to Hogsmeade.  
  
"Goodbye Hermione, take care!" said Harry, "And don't work too much! We need you to relax for the next term"  
  
Avara then walked into the Entrance Hall, along with Draco Malfoy and Servana. Her Slytherin friends Steven Packard and Xaver Eldritch were there too. She came closer to Harry, carrying a small leather suitcase, engraved with her family crest, and a smaller package, which was unmistakably Malachius's cage. "Sssee you, Harry Potter. If you miss ssspeaking Parssseltongue, jussst call me" hissed the tiny Gem snake, who had visibly fully recovered from his recent Malachite production.  
  
"I'm going back home for the holidays. My parents need me by their side, now that their old friend Renatus Troomveld is dead. Great things await us, Harry."  
  
The heir of Slytherin looked at Harry one last time before leaving. Her glowing green eyes were so intense; he felt that strange feeling of cold warmth again. Harry was feeling safe with her. 


End file.
